At Your Service
by Team Damon
Summary: Two young women working hard to accomplish their dreams in New York City discover that there isn't necessarily any shame in paying for a night that no woman could ever forget, and it all starts with an unexpected birthday gift of all things. Very high-end escort AU, Bucky/OC in part one, Loki/OC in part two
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Aaaaand here we have my latest foray into short and fun little AUs :D this particular (at least) two-parter came about due mainly to my HUGE need to write something a bit more fun and a lot less angsty than what I've been writing, what with the trial stuff going on in Life After Death and then something else that I have in the works for the future which is like Angst Central SO, needless to say, I needed a break lol. And then THIS happened :D As the summary says, part one of this story is Bucky/Summer, which... I think everyone knows by now I literally CANNOT stop writing and I can't help it, and part two is Loki/Aemilia, a couple some of you might know from my older story Ruin :D both of my little made-up universes are smushed together for this little AU, and everybody's human and living in New York lol. I hope you guys like it :) I'll be posting part two when it's finished, which should be in no more than just a few days, so if you like this first part (and Loki :p) then definitely keep an eye out for that :D For now, thank you guys in advance for reading and please review, for better or worse :D My huge, huge, undying thanks to midnightwings96 for encouraging me and helping me to come up with stuff that I LOVE to write, and always making time for me and me stuff and generally being the best person ever :D I'll see you guys for part two, and I hope you all like this! :D**

 **And P.S. I am in no way endorsing or supporting or otherwise putting my personal stamp of approval on prostitution or the many forms of it, and nor am I trying to glorify male prostitution. This is all for fun and hopefully nobody takes it too seriously, because I'm not. If it turns into a longer story with more than just two parts, I'll examine everything a lot more deeply, but until then, it's just meant for fun :D**

In the middle of an otherwise quiet restaurant nestled in the heart of New York City, an online columnist named Summer choked on the cocktail that she was sipping on and proceeded to have a violent and loud coughing fit. Every head in the room turned to look at her as she sputtered and coughed over and over, her face red and eyes wide enough to cause enough concern that her server came over to ask her if she was okay.

After giving a weak thumbs up and taking a sip of water to calm down the coughing, Summer turned her eyes on her two _extremely_ amused friends and half-gasped, " _You guys did what_?"

Natasha grinned and took a drink of her own drink. "Told you she'd have a meltdown."

Ignoring the other woman's comment, Aemilia held up her hands non-threateningly and said, "Now, darling, relax, all right? Just hear us out."

"Hear you out?" Summer hissed in scandalized disbelief. "I told you I wanted a fricking _gift card_ for my birthday and you got me a... a... _oh my God_."

As Summer sat back in her seat and covered her mortified face with her hands, Natasha rolled her eyes and shared a grin with Aemilia. Aemilia then let out a small, sympathetic sigh and leaned across the table towards Summer. "Well, Summer, you are now officially 26 years old and... well... you're a bit..."

"Overly picky and more sexually deprived than my 86 year old widowed neighbor," Natasha finished for Aemilia. When Summer brought down her hands to glare at her, Natasha merely shrugged and said, "It's true. My neighbor hosts very late 'bingo' games."

Summer made a face at _that_ visual, then shook her head and said, "I'm fine! I mean yeah, okay sure, it's been awhile since I've had a good date, or... did... things, but..."

"Darling," Aemilia said gently, "you are in such dire need of being touched that the last time we got drunk together you begged _me_ to have sex with you."

Summer widened her eyes and squeaked, "We agreed to never speak of that again!"

Aemilia blinked slowly. "I _know_ and I'm sorry, but all I mean to say is -"

"You need this," Natasha said. "And we paid a small fortune to get you our little gift."

Summer gestured nervously with her hands and said, "Your little gift being... a..."

"... Very high end, very hot male escort," Natasha smirked before finishing her drink.

Summer felt like she was going to explode into a thousand tiny pieces of eternal embarrassment all over the restaurant floor. She then whispered, "I can't have sex with a stranger! And he's a... a... a hooker! What if he's got diseases or -"

"First of all," Aemilia said, "he's not a _hooker_. These men don't walk the streets at night. The escort service is very classy and confidential, and do you really think we would set you up with a man who would give you a _disease_?"

"They do frequent mandatory testing. Like porn stars," Natasha smiled. "I asked. But everything will be completely safe anyway. I made sure your hotel room was stocked with condoms. The heavy duty ones."

Summer made a sound similar to that of a dying seal and dropped her face to the table. "Oh my God. You guys hate me."

"No, dear, we love you," Aemilia smiled, patting her head. "And before you outright refuse... I do have a picture. Would you like to see?"

Summer paused before snapping her head up. "A picture?"

As Aemilia smiled and grabbed her phone, Natasha said, "We know you pretty well by now, so we were able to handpick the perfect guy for your tastes."

Summer was skeptical. "I'm not really sure that -"

Aemilia held up her phone, and Summer looked at it and fell silent mid-sentence.

They weren't kidding about the whole perfect for her tastes thing. From what she could see of the man, he looked vaguely like he'd stepped straight out of the vault in her mind where she kept the blueprints to "Summer's ideal hot guy" locked up. The photo wasn't a full body shot, but...

She blinked and marveled, " _Oh_."

"Yes," Aemilia grinned. " _Oh_ indeed."

Aemilia then snatched her phone away, and Summer blinked. "Hey! I wasn't done looking yet."

"You'll have plenty of time to... look later," Aemilia grinned, putting her phone back into her clutch and retrieving something else. "Now. This is your room key."

Summer took the little card from her friend with a blush. "Oh God."

"As I said, your room is already booked and ready, and you will check in under an alias. He's going to be there at nine."

Summer's eyes got huge. "Nine?! But it's eight right now! I'm not ready to - _frick_! I'm not ready to bang anyone! For God's sake, I'm not even wearing matching underwear! I'm wearing a fricking leopard print bra and Batman underwear!"

Aemilia cracked up at that, and Natasha made a face before chuckling and saying, "Well, that's an easy fix. Just ditch the underwear before he shows up. Problem solved."

Summer groaned, her complexion again resembling that of a tomato. "I can't do this. I can't! I don't care how hot he is."

" _Summer_ ," Aemilia began, "come on, darling. There's nothing wrong with doing this. It's harmless. You have been so deprived for so long, and the only men you've ever let yourself get close to have been utter _pricks_ who cared nothing for you. Or your pleasure."

Summer squirmed at just the word _pleasure_. "I know, but -"

"I know it's outside of your comfort zone," Aemilia said. "I do. But you work so hard and you're so giving and selfless all of the time. You deserve a night that's all about you and what you want."

"You really do," Natasha agreed. "And besides, this guy comes with a satisfaction guarantee."

Aemilia sighed. "I'm not sure that's particularly helpful at the moment, Nat."

Summer simply let out a deep breath and shook her head. "I just... you know, I'm kind of nervous about... sex anyway, just because of the way it's always been before for me, so... I mean, what if I can't... y'know... make it work? Like... _work_?"

"Well that's part of the advantage of doing it with a stranger, I suppose," Aemilia mused. "There's really no pressure. He doesn't know you, you don't know him. You can just... be yourself and let it happen naturally. And besides, they really do send their escorts with a guarantee."

"Like a... money back guarantee?" Summer asked, eyes slightly wide. When both of her friends shrugged to the affirmative, she said, "So it's like... Walmart. But for sex."

"Oh no," Natasha said, aghast. "More like Fifth Avenue. We would _never_ subject you to Walmart-level escorts."

"But seriously," Summer said. "What if I can't... you know..." Unable to say the word, she mimed a bomb detonating with her hands.

"Orgasm?" Natasha guessed, and Summer blushed even more deeply and nodded hurriedly. "Honey, that's literally what these guys get paid for. You will be perfectly fine."

"What if I'm not?"

Aemilia and Natasha glanced at each other and then turned back to her, Aemilia gently telling her, "I love you, Summer, but you need to stop thinking and just enjoy yourself for once in your life. That's our gift to you this year, and you need it. You truly do."

They were right, and Summer knew it. She _did_ need it, and even though she was scandalized and shocked and all of those things, she was also unbearably excited and intrigued at the very idea of what was suddenly at her fingertips. She thought of the man's picture, his handsome face and dark hair and the fact that he was probably very _very_ good at his job, and the next thing she knew, she was glancing at Aemilia and asking, "Can I see that picture again?"

Aemilia smiled and happily obliged, retrieving her phone and pulling up the photo before handing the phone to Summer. "He _is_ cute, isn't he?"

Cute wasn't even the word. "What's his name?" she asked, staring at the picture and wondering if he'd look that good in real life.

Natasha chuckled. "It's Bucky. Which is ridiculous. What kind of name is that?"

"Bucky?" Summer repeated, still examining the picture. "That _is_ weird. But it kind of... suits him. Maybe."

The two other girls shared a look, and then Aemilia asked, "Does that mean you'll do it?"

Summer paused, looking up at her friends and finding herself unable to stop the grin from spreading across her face. She handed the phone back to Aemilia and smacked both her hands on her face before nodding, sealing her fate. Both of her friends laughed and cheered quietly in celebration, and just like that, Summer knew there was no going back.

She didn't know what the hell she had just gotten herself into, but if this escort looked as good in person as he did in his picture and was in fact a _pro_ at his job... then, well, why the hell _not_?

* * *

Aemilia and Natasha wasted no time in quickly paying the bill and getting Summer to her fancy hotel in time for her _date_. They did what they could to keep her calm as she checked in and then made her way up to her suite, which came with its own hefty price tag. Summer couldn't believe how much the two women had spent on her, and for just one night. One thing was for sure - they definitely loved the _crap_ out of her.

Time was running short, however, and they left her alone in her suite with about ten minutes before _Bucky_ was scheduled to arrive. They gave her hugs and words of encouragement before they left, and once they were gone, Summer found herself eyeing the champagne sitting in an ice bucket in the room like it was a lifeline.

She ended up downing one flute of champagne as she waited, wandering around the suite and trying to distract herself so she wouldn't chicken out and escape through a window. The hotel was _incredibly_ nice, better than anything she'd ever been able to afford on her own, and the bed and the furnishings all reeked of luxury. But despite how lovely it all was, it didn't stop her from getting distracted and retreating to the bathroom to give herself a _very_ thorough once over.

She knocked back the rest of her champagne and then brushed her teeth with the tiny tube of toothpaste and plastic-wrapped toothbrush that was provided. She then fluffed her long and wavy almost-black hair, deciding that it would do and then turning her critical eye to her face. She'd kept her makeup simple that night, thinking she was just going out for a simple birthday dinner with her friends, and this was _not_ how she would have looked had she known that she was going to be... _well_... entertaining a visitor. Or more accurately, having a visitor entertain her.

She turned away from the mirror not entirely happy with her reflection, trying not to think about it and smoothing out the short blue dress that she was wearing. The dress was good, at least, hugging her body just right and showing off the parts of herself that she felt best about. But it was in the midst of being thankful for her wardrobe choice that she suddenly remembered her underwear dilemma, with only _two minutes_ leftuntil 8.

She chewed her lip and wondered if she should take Natasha's advice or not. If she left them on, it wouldn't be the end of the world - they were lacy and pretty, but they were also just... black and yellow and embellished with a bat symbol on the front.

She sighed, cursing under her breath and then biting the bullet, pulling up her dress so she could yank the stupid underwear off. She felt like a filthy little slut doing it, but she was at least aware of her irrationality and was able to ignore it. She looked down at the offended underwear in her hand and then jumped with terror when she heard a knock on her door.

Her eyes flew to the clock next to the bed; it was 8 o'clock on the dot. She gulped and then started to panic.

He was _there_. And she was just standing there like an idiot in the middle of the room, holding her underwear stupidly in her hands and wondering if she'd die if she jumped from the window and hit the pavement.

Then he knocked again, and she managed to snap out of her terrified trance and ran to her purse, shoved the underwear down into it, and then ran to the door.

She stopped to take a deep breath before reaching for the door handle. Once she did, deciding that it was then or never, she pulled on the handle and then opened the door to find the single most attractive man she'd ever seen in person waiting on the other side.

His picture didn't do him justice. He was tall and amazingly attractive and he smiled immediately, his bright blue eyes taking her in and sweeping over her slightly stunned self as he asked just to make sure, "Summer?"

She blinked when she heard his voice and blurred, "Summer. Yeah. That's me. I'm Summer. Hi."

His smile became an amused little grin. " _Hi_. I'm Bucky."

She almost melted right there on the spot. He was dressed in leather pants - _leather pants_ , her brain screamed at her - and a grayish shirt under a black peacoat, and he wore it all so well that she just stood there staring for a moment before she caught herself and said. "Oh, come in. I'm sorry. Come in."

"It's okay," he assured her, the smile never leaving his face as he walked in after she stepped aside. She closed the door with her suddenly shaky hand, fairly sure that she was going to die, and then she turned around in time to watch him shed his coat. As it turned out, his arms were something to look at, too.

It was as she began staring again that he looked at her and then said, "So... I hear it's your birthday, _Summer_."

It was worth the money just to hear him say her name, as far as she was concerned. "Yeah! Yeah. Um... I'm 26 today, so... late twenties, officially. Yay."

He grinned at her, his eyes briefly sweeping over her again, and she couldn't help but get the impression that he liked what he saw. "Well, happy birthday. Has it been a good one so far?"

She nodded, unaware that she was fidgeting on her feet and playing nervously with her fingers. " _Yeah_ , yeah, it has been. Kind of got a big shock over dinner, but, um..."

He took in the clear, glaringly obvious signs of her anxiety and said, "Yeah... you're nervous, I can tell."

"Oh, um, well it's just that -"

"You've never done this before," he finished for her, a touch of a grin still on his pretty face. "I know. And it's okay. Why don't we just sit and have a drink, and... talk for awhile?"

She nodded so fast it almost made him laugh. "Yeah, let's do that."

She was like a doll on a string, all wound up and tight and nervous as she fluttered over to the room's sitting area and grabbed the champagne on her way there. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her mind was racing, already picking herself apart and criticizing herself for what little she'd said to him, and the night hadn't even yet begun.

She sat on one end of the little couch at the center of the suite, in front of a TV that was turned off, and when Bucky followed, he sat next to her - not too close to make her even more nervous, but so far away as to be strange considering what they both knew he was there for. She poured them both flutes of champagne, carefully handing him his and not letting their fingers touch as she smiled at him and said, "So..."

Her brilliant conversation starter made him chuckle. "So... tell me what you do, Summer."

She wanted to sigh every time he said her name. She took a quick sip of her flute and then said, "Well, I write a weekly column for an online news magazine."

"Oh. You're a writer," he replied, seemingly genuinely interested. "Have I read anything of yours?"

"Maybe?" she shrugged, smiling. "Probably not. We're still pretty small right now, but... we're growing, slowly but surely. I dabble in other stuff to help pay the bills. I'd like to eventually write for the _Times_ , but... you know. That'll take awhile." She smiled again and then almost asked what he did before she realized how incredibly stupid of a question that would have been.

"Yeah. You live here in the city?"

She nodded. "Yep. Five years now. You?"

He nodded. "Brooklyn. Lived there my whole life."

"Oh! You don't have much of an accent," she pointed out, feeling a little more at ease the more she drank and the more they talked, so long as she didn't focus on how blue his eyes were or how pink and perfect his lips were.

"Well, it comes out every once in awhile," he shrugged. "Where are you from originally? I'm picking _some_ kind of accent up, but I can't tell where from."

"Virginia," she smiled. "Which I don't miss at all."

"Yeah? City girl?" he grinned, and she couldn't help but glance at his legs when he crossed one over the other. Leather was a _good_ look on him.

"Pretty much, yeah. And I've made some really great friends here and it's just... become home, you know?" He nodded like he really did know, and she paused for a moment before observing on a whim, "You're good at keeping this small talk going and distracting me so I don't freak out."

His smile returned full force and he even let out a short laugh. "Yeah, you caught me."

She blushed with faint embarrassment and said, "I'm sorry, I'm just... I'm _really_ nervous, honestly, and I don't even know how this usually works or what to expect, and..."

"That's okay," he said seriously, moving just barely closer to her on the couch, still holding his own untouched champagne. "Really, it is, and look, the last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable. I can tell this is very new for you."

"Very," she said with wide eyes, and he smiled at her like he found her to be incredibly cute.

"Okay. Well, first of all, just to put this out there - if you want to cancel, you can. If you don't want to do this or you're just too nervous, say the word and I'll go. Say the word at _any_ point tonight and I'll go. That's the whole point of this. You're the boss. You're in control. I'm here for _you_."

He said those words in a way that was so sincere and honest that it took her by surprise. His last sentence also sent a shiver down her spine. "Oh. Okay."

"And as far as what to expect... that's up to you, too," he said, voice dropping just barely lower but enough to send a thrill through her veins. "It's not like there's really any rules or... instructions. Like I said... it's all about you."

She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry, and she nodded seriously at him for all of a few seconds before she smiled and, to her dismay, burst into a fit of giggles. His eyebrows went up and he smiled at her, and one might have thought that he'd never encountered a girl quite like her before.

"I'm sorry," she said, covering her mouth to try to contain the giggles. "Oh God, I really am. I just can't help it. I just... I feel like such an idiot."

"Aw, don't feel like that," he said, leaning forward and setting his drink down before leaning closer to her, still at a comfortable distance but close enough now that she caught a whiff of his scent. He smelled _good,_ like leather and something minty and the nighttime air that he'd come in from. "I understand why you're nervous, I do. But for what it's worth, I think you're beautiful and that you have _nothing_ to feel embarrassed about."

She blinked in surprise, finding his words much more warming than she probably should have. " _Really_?"

He smiled in a way that told her that yes, he did mean those words and he wasn't saying them just because he was getting paid to make her happy. "Yeah."

She sighed, looking away from him to stare at the much safer visual of the glass in her hand. "I just... this is kind of hard for me, because I don't really have the best track record with... this sort of thing."

"Sex?"

She kept her eyes averted, nodding and refusing to acknowledge what it did to her just hearing him say that word to her. "Yeah. Mostly just because I've never... um... I've never slept with a guy who was any good at it, really."

She dared to peek at him then. He nodded, expression back to being serious as he asked, "Were they just selfish, or... worse?"

"Just selfish," she nodded. "They never hurt me or anything. They just..."

"Never made you feel good?" he guessed.

She felt her cheeks heat up again as she nodded, looking away again. "Yeah, basically."

The room was silent for a moment until Bucky's voice broke through the quiet, lower than before. "So tell me what you like."

 _Oh God_. Her heart suddenly pounding in her chest all over again, she bit her lip and still tried to not look at him as she smiled nervously and replied, "Um... see, that's the thing. I don't really know because I've never had the chance to really find out."

He was quiet, contemplative as he looked her up and down, able to do so and take his time since she was stubbornly looking at anything but him. "I can work with that. Maybe I can help you find out what you do like."

She smiled, trying to figure out how to answer that when suddenly his hand was covering hers, the touch sending little sparks up her arm as he gently pried her flute out of her grip. As it turned out, the flute had been empty for awhile and she was still clutching it like it was full. She finally turned her eyes on him, heart hammering harder at his proximity and the way that he looked so fearlessly and directly into her eyes. Then he pulled away just enough to set down her glass, and he settled back in at her side. She could breathe again, but he was closer now, much closer than when they had first sat down on the couch.

"Uh... what were we talking about again?" she asked, genuinely unable to remember.

He grinned a little, licking his lips before he spoke, and she watched his tongue briefly roll over his lips like it was nothing less than porn. "We were talking about what you like. Do you maybe... have any requests? Anything you want to try? Any... kinks or ideas you think you might like?"

If she blushed any harder, her face might catch fire. "Oh my God. Um... uh... you know, I think that I'd have a heart attack if we did anything like... _that_. I think maybe just... the basics?"

He nodded, his damn grin as present as ever. "The basics are good. I like the basics."

She smiled back, feeling like she might start giggling again just before she then blurted, "But I don't know if I want to actually... have sex. Like... I'm not sure that I'd be comfortable with that."

He didn't look surprised in the least, nor any less understanding. "That's fine. Like I said, you're the boss here. Don't be afraid to tell me what you want, or what you don't want."

She let out a breath she hadn't known that she was holding, surprised that taking _that_ off the table was such a weight from her shoulders. She still wasn't exactly at ease, however, but she told herself to stop trying to avoid his gaze and just... go with the flow for once. So she did, looking up into his eyes and feeling her stomach flutter at the way that he was looking at her from only a number of inches away.

He surprised her then by looking down at her lips and then back up at her eyes before he murmured, "You really _are_ beautiful."

There was another violent flutter in her belly, and she bit her lip as she asked, "Do you say that to all of your... clients?"

He shook his head. "Only when I mean it."

She looked at his lips, wondering what they'd feel like pressed to hers, but she couldn't quite the break through the slightly paralyzing anxiety still holding her back. Luckily for her, however, he could tell that this was the case, and he was there to help her.

He glanced over towards the bed, and then he gestured to it with a nod of his head. "Come on. I have an idea. Think it might help."

He then stood up and offered her his hand. She stared at it for a moment before accepting, his hand warm and firm on hers as he pulled her to her feet. She thought he'd let go, but he didn't. Instead, he kept her hand in his and led her towards the bed, and if she happened to stare at the way that his leather pants hugged his hips as he walked, she refused to have any shame in the matter.

He took off his boots easily before sliding on to the bed, towards the foot of it. He looked up at her and gently tugged her towards him, and she followed his lead. She slipped into the bed in front of him, sitting with her back to him, and she stared at the empty space in front of her as one last wave of anxiety rolled through her. She didn't know what to expect or what was coming, and when she felt careful fingertips brush all of her hair over one of her shoulders, her eyes closed and she enjoyed the tingling sensation that resulted from just that one simple touch. She really _was_ starved for attention, more than she had even realized.

Then he brought both of his hands to her shoulders, and she couldn't help but smile when he began to simply, innocently, massage her tension away. He started slowly, gently kneading his thumbs into the knots in her muscles, making her eyes close and body relax under the sweet, comforting touch. He was good at what he was doing, and she accidentally let out a low whine of pleasure when he got one particular spot _just_ right.

"Like that?" he asked, voice closer to her ear than she expected. She nodded, feeling his lips _almost_ graze behind her ear before his hands began to wander.

First, he ran his fingertips over the top of her shoulders, then slowly down her arms until he reached her wrists. Then he began his languid journey back up, and her skin was covered in goosebumps by the time his hands were back on her shoulders. The nervous feeling was back, only this time it was the pleasant kind of nervous.

Then he slowly peeled down one of her sleeves off of her shoulder, and he leaned down and softly, almost sweetly, pressed his lips to her bare skin. It was such a small touch and so much less than she expected considering the situation, but it was enough to light a flame deep within her and bring the night to where it had been heading all along.

He didn't stop with one kiss. He slowly kissed his way along her shoulder and up to her neck, his hands running down her arms again and then sliding to her waist. His fingers curled down against her hips as his mouth lingered at her neck, kissing and gently nipping a spot that made her mouth fall open and her hand bury itself in his hair. The dark locks were soft between her fingers and she wanted him closer, wanted more despite all of the hesitation that she had felt before.

When he pulled away, she turned her head towards his and found his lips just inches from hers. He was even prettier up close, and he was looking at her with the same curiosity and desire that was in her own eyes.

"Do you have a _Pretty Woman_ rule where you don't kiss, because it's too intimate?" she asked out of pure curiosity, praying that the answer would be no.

He grinned and shook his head. "Nah. I like kissing. And I _really_ want to kiss you."

She smiled and somewhat dreamily asked, "You do?"

His answer was a low, faint groan that rumbled from his throat before he captured her lips with his and took her breath away. One of his hands went to her face, his fingers gently stroking her cheekbone while his other hand slid down to her leg, and she kissed him like her life depended on it. His lips felt even better than she had thought they would, and the way that his tongue brushed against hers and worked her up into a frenzy nearly sent her reeling.

Meanwhile, his hand was on her bare leg, sliding up to her inner thigh and moving upwards, taking the hem of her dress up with it. He kept teasing her like that, both of them lost to their kiss and never coming up for air until his fingers slipped up to her hipbone.

He grinned and broke away, feeling her lack of underwear and saying, "Well, aren't you full of surprises, sweetheart."

She blushed and nearly moaned at the _filthy_ grin on his face and the gleam in his eyes that told her that she was in for a night like no other. With the hand that was still clutching his hair, she pulled him back for another kiss and then moaned into his mouth and jerked slightly in surprise when his wandering hand slid inward between her thighs.

It was a fleeting, curious touch, but it was enough to make her crave more. When his hands began moving further up her body, along her sides and grazing over her chest, she arched into his touch a little to encourage him, some vague part of her brain wondering just what had come over her. He didn't hesitate to run his palms over her breasts, softly caressing them through her dress and then one hand slipping behind her to pull down the zipper at the back of her dress.

As soon as the zipper was all the way down, Summer broke the kiss and turned, letting him peel the dress down until it hung haphazardly at her waist and then climbing to straddle his lap. He looked up at her with clear, unmistakable lust in his eyes, and she wasted no time in burying her hands in his hair and kissing him with a new fury.

Everyone had been right. She _did_ need this. She felt alive and she felt _good_ , kissing her _gift_ deeply as he let her control the pace. It struck her then that she could do whatever she wanted with him, and that resulted in her grasping at his shirt and tugging until she was forced to break the kiss to pull it off of him. He helped her do it, and she dropped the shirt somewhere on the floor before her hands went to his newly bare chest, her lust spiking again as she was overcome with the sudden urge to _lick_ him everywhere.

She almost didn't notice how easily and skillfully he unclasped her bra, until he was sliding it down her arms. She took his hands off of him just long enough for him to get it fully off of her, and then she was watching as his eyes dropped down to her breasts and became even more heated. His hands immediately went to them, gentle but firm as he first cupped them and then gave a little squeeze, thumbs teasing over her nipples as he groaned, " _Fuck_ , you're fucking hot."

His words sent an electric jolt through her body, and then his mouth was on her breast and tongue replacing his thumb as she closed her eyes and tried not to moan. She didn't even notice how she was grinding down into his lap with slowly increasing speed as he worked her up, doing everything perfectly and gently and just passionately enough for her to tell that he was as into this as she was. And that was a _huge_ relief.

He looked up at her at one point, his tongue flicking over her nipple as his fingers did the same to her other, and he took her by surprise by _smiling_ at couldn't help but smile back, then giggle faintly when he suddenly grasped her hips and moved them.

He laid her down on her back high on the bed, hovering over her and looking greedily up and down her body before pulling her dress fully off of her body. This left her fully naked, and she was about to protest about their uneven status before he started going to work on his own pants. Watching him peel them down his legs and throw them off was entirely more exciting than it should have been.

He returned to her with just a pair of black boxer briefs remaining on his body, his eyes soaking her up and making her just a _little_ nervous. She couldn't help it. She hadn't been naked in front of a man in longer than she wanted to admit.

He kept his weight off of her, one hand holding himself up as the other soothed over her stomach in a comforting touch. "You okay, baby?"

His terms of endearment alone were going to kill her. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just... it really has been a long time, and..."

"I understand," he murmured, briefly catching her lips in a sweet kiss. Then he smiled and looked her in the eyes before trailing his gaze down and back up again. "But you're gorgeous. I mean it. I'm having to hold myself back. I just want to fucking devour you."

He might as well have tossed a barrel of gasoline on an open fire. She was speechless and even more desperate than she'd been before he had spoken. " _Oh_."

He grinned at her silly answer and then kissed her again, his hips nudging her legs further apart so he could lay between them. She felt so incredibly dirty in that moment but in a good - no, _great_ \- way, and he was kissing her senseless when one of his hands began to slowly wander down between them.

His fingers found what they were looking for at the same moment that she broke their kiss to suck in a breath that she suddenly needed. Her eyes met his and he kissed the corner of her mouth as he murmured comfortingly, "Relax, sweetheart."

She let out a long breath and closed her eyes, his fingers slowly feeling her and easing her into it all, just a soft touch and nothing else. With her eyes closed, she couldn't see the way that he gazed down at her like it really was an Olympic task to keep himself in control and take this as slow as she needed him to.

She gasped at the first real pressure of his fingers, her body tensing and then relaxing as he effortlessly found the the right spot and focused all of his attention on it.

"There you go," he said, kissing below her ear. "How's that feel?"

"Really good," she breathed, daring to open her eyes and look down between them to watch as his hand worked.

"You're so wet," he noted in a low, rough tone. "And _really_ fucking sensitive."

She'd never heard _that_ before. Her eyes met his, her cheeks on fire and breaths coming faster the quicker he rubbed his fingers on that perfect spot.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked, and she nodded, biting back a moan. "Has anyone ever gone down on you before?"

She _did_ moan then, though not from the question. "Yes, but... I didn't really like it."

His brows knit together in almost adorable confusion, like he'd never heard of such a thing before. "You didn't like it?"

"It just... didn't feel like anything," she managed to choke out, even as her hips began to rock slightly against his hand, out of her control. Her nails were biting softly into his shoulders and _that_ was out of her control, too.

"Then he wasn't doing it right," Bucky murmured before leaning down and kissing her. Her fingers slid up and into his hair and she moaned against his lips as she got closer, _closer_ , his fingers driving her mad.

Then he slowed down his pace and almost got a whine out of her. He broke their kiss and then asked her in a tone that made her shiver all over, "Can I taste you? I promise you'll like it this time."

As if she could say no to _that_. She nodded quickly, and he pulled his hand away from her and kissed her with a grin lingering on his lips. He seemed even more excited about it than she was.

She couldn't help feeling incredibly nervous though, and though she tried to just focus on him and what he felt like as he kissed softly down her neck and towards her chest, it was hard not to think about that less than stellar first time and how disappointing it had been. It was such an intimate act and just having someone that _close_ , nothing hiding any part of her...

He felt her tension rise the lower he moved. His mouth was on her stomach, laying soft kisses down just below her belly button, and he looked up to find her arm slung over her eyes.

He moved back up in a flash and tugged her arm away. "Hey. Where you going?" he asked playfully, and she blushed with embarrassment.

"I don't know," she admitted, shaking her head at herself. "I'm sorry. I'm trying to relax but -"

"First of all, don't ever tell me you're sorry when you have nothing to be sorry for," he told her, his eyes serious again. "All I need you to do is breathe and trust me. Can you do that?"

Somehow, as strange as it was, she really did feel like she could trust him. "... I think so."

"Don't hide from me," he said, running his fingers down her arm for emphasis. "And don't be embarrassed. Just let me make you feel good, okay?"

She nodded, heart fluttering again and body nearly singing with anticipation. "Okay."

"Okay. And if I catch you trying to hide from me again, I might just tie you up so you _can't_."

It was obvious in the way that she stared at him and flushed that she was actually _totally_ into that idea. She didn't realize that he was testing the waters, seeing if the vibes that he was getting from her were accurate or not. So far, he'd been spot on with everything. But for then, he wanted to keep everything simple for the sake of not overwhelming her. Still, he knew already that there was a side to her that she had likely never even scratched the surface of.

He started kissing her into oblivion again, distracting her from her thoughts and last remaining twinges of anxiety. He took his time in making his way back down, making sure that by the time he got there, she was desperate and in dire need of what he was going to give her. And she was.

Her arm almost went over her eyes again when she looked down to watch him kiss and nip his way down her inner thigh, his hands gripping both of her legs as they laid over his shoulders. But she remembered his words and kept her gaze on him, feeling like she would lose her mind if he teased her any longer.

He shot her one last look before he closed his eyes and leaned in and...

She made a sound that she'd never heard herself make before, something caught between a surprised _oh_ and incoherent nonsense. It felt nothing like she remembered, nothing at all, and he was only getting started. He went slow, taking his time and doing what she now realized he meant by _tasting_ her, really just teasing and letting her get comfortable with him being there and touching her like that. It was still enough to make her squirm and need to be held down with his arm over her belly, so she didn't accidentally squirm away or otherwise impede him.

Then once he _really_ got started, she was an utter wreck. It was like nothing she'd ever felt before, and he was so perfect and so attentive to what she liked and responded to that it left her able to do nothing but moan and claw mindlessly at his hair and anything else she could grasp. Everything seemed to happen so fast and her body was moving without her permission, her hips rocking up against his face and nails scratching at his scalp as he made her feel things she didn't even know she was capable of feeling.

Once she was on the edge and just seconds from losing her mind, she was grasping at the sheets with her free hand and moaning like could barely stand it. It took her by surprise, then, when he moved his hand from her belly and grasped hers, intertwining their fingers and giving her something to be anchored to. It felt shockingly intimate, and it was just the little bit of comfort that she needed to let herself go and give in. And once she did, it was utterly spectacular.

She was sure that she left the earth for a little while. She finally understood what all the fuss was about, what she'd been missing all that time, and by the time that she was left a boneless pile of satisfaction in the middle of the bed, she was only just coherent enough to notice that Bucky's hand was still tangled with her own. His thumb was stroking sweetly across her knuckles, and he was watching her chest heave and eyes slowly open following those exquisite few moments.

He laid a kiss on her inner thigh before slowly making his way back up, lying at her side and letting go of her hand so that he could trail his own along her hip as he settled in and smiled at her. She looked up at him and smiled back, her eyes a little watery and her pleasantly limp body still trying to recover.

"Oh my God," she managed to squeak out, turning towards him and placing her hand on his chest, needing to touch him and be close to him for reasons she couldn't fully comprehend.

The way that he grinned at her was maddening, and she _loved_ it. He brought his hand up to her face, trailing his finger sweetly along her jaw as he said, "Told you I'd make you feel good."

She smiled and let out a breathless little giggle that made him smile even more widely. "You're _amazing_. I've never... it's never felt like that for me before. And I don't just mean _that_ , I mean... like... just _whoa_. It felt like... so much better than..."

"... Than doing it to yourself?" he guessed, and somehow she still managed to blush even after all that had transpired.

"Yeah," she said quietly, looking up into his eyes and again marveling at just how _pretty_ he was. He was so incredible that she had to say it out loud. "You're _so_ pretty."

He shot her a crooked little grin that made the flutters inside come back, or maybe that was because of his fingers trailing gently over her hip. "Yeah?"

"Oh yeah," she confirmed, her palm sliding down his chest and eyes greedily running over his lean, perfectly sculpted muscles. Everything about him was just _perfect_ , and that was why she moved closer to him so that her chest was pressed to his as she leaned up to kiss him. He groaned into the kiss and then almost roughly dug his fingers into her thigh when she slung her leg over his hip and ground against him. They kissed and groped at each other, her overly sensitive body moving with his much needier one, and then when it all became too much and yet not nearly enough, she pushed him down on his back and was on top of him for the first time.

He looked up at her with hunger in his eyes, the move taking him by pleasant surprise, and all she could do was smile at him before leaning down and kissing him like she had every right in the world to do it. She was having the time of her life, and feeling how hard he was for her as she teasingly ground down against him, through the thin barrier of fabric still on his hips, made her feel suddenly almost kind of... powerful. It was stunning how much this stranger could make her feel, and so very unexpected.

Her teasing grinding motions had him clutching her hips to pull her down harder against him, kissing her frantically and yet not asking for anything in return for what he'd done to her. She wondered if that was a part of his "policy", or maybe he just wanted to see if she'd reciprocate on her own so that it would come naturally. She didn't know, but what she did know was that he needed it _bad_.

So she broke their kiss and shifted a little bit, making room for her hand to go between them and softly palm at him through his underwear. She watched his jaw work as she touched him, the fire burning lowly in his eyes as he stared at her and pushed her hair away from her face so that nothing was hidden from him. Teasing him was fun, but she could only hold out for so long before she had to know what he sounded like when _he_ moaned. She sat up straight and leaned back, pulling his underwear off at last and taking a shamelessly long look at him before taking him in her hand and leaning back down to kiss him again.

The first moan that left his lips set her on fire all over again. In between almost sloppy kisses and his hands roaming everywhere on her, he liked to look down and watch her hand at work, moving slowly at first and then faster according to his cues. Then he'd trail his eyes back up and yank her back down for another kiss, letting more and louder moans escape the closer that she got him to the edge.

Seeing him like that, eyes closed and lips parted in pleasure as he thrusted into her hand, made her realize that she was not at all ready for the night to end. She wanted to keep watching him, keep learning him, and find out what he would feel like buried inside of her and taking her like she'd always wished somebody would.

That was why she pulled her hand away right at the last minute and blushed furiously as he opened his eyes and looked at her in frustrated desperation. She wasn't sure how to say it, but she did the best that she could to express what she wanted.

"I want you."

He had one hand in her hair and one on her lower back, roaming down lower to grab and squeeze and then move back up again. "You've got me, baby."

"No, I mean..." She blushed even more and faltered, but that was all he needed to hear and see to understand what she was trying to ask for.

"You want me to fuck you," he murmured, his expression managing to grow somehow even more heated than it already was. She nodded, and he asked, "You sure?"

She nodded furiously. "I think I'd regret it forever if you didn't."

He nodded then, biting his lower lip and glancing over the bed, down near the floor where his pants were as he muttered, "Fuck, can you grab my -"

"Oh," she said, suddenly remembering something that Aemilia and Natasha had pointed out to her. "Hold on."

She leaned over him then and reached for the table next to the bed, opening the drawer and pulling out the embarrassing roll of no less than _twenty_ heavy duty condoms. She was ripping one off when he noted with full amusement, " _Damn_. You came prepared."

"My friends put these here," she said, slamming the drawer shut and then pulling back. She then proceeded to fumble with the thing before Bucky plucked it from her hands and ripped it open with his teeth. She really should have expected that, just like she should have expected how hot it would be to watch him roll it on and handle himself like the pro he was, but she hadn't and all any of it did was turn her on even more and need him faster. He could tell as soon as his eyes turned back to her, and he grinned before sitting up and pulling her into his lap with a rough and quiet, "Come here."

Alight with anticipation, she climbed on to his lap and settled herself down, hands on his shoulders and a little smile on her face as she peeked up at him.

"Still sure about this?" he asked, ever the gentleman making sure that she didn't go too far for herself.

But she was indeed sure, and she answered him by shifting her hips and, reaching down to grasp him and align them just right, slowly sinking down on him. His response was a low curse that he all but growled as he clutched her tighter, and she held her breath as she adjusted to the intrusion. It really had been a long time, and as ready as she was, she still needed a moment to get used to him.

All he could do was curse and start almost babbling himself, burying his face in her neck as he forced himself to remain still. "God, you're so fucking _tight_..."

"Sorry," she muttered before she realized what a stupid thing it was to say.

He almost laughed. " _Sorry_? No, you feel fucking amazing. You're killing me."

"Sorry," she said _again_ , and this time they both laughed softly. She could hardly believe how easy it all felt, and how comfortable she was with him that they could sit there like that, _laughing_ together. She smiled as she kissed his neck, pulling a groan from his mouth as she slowly, carefully, began to move.

She had full control over their movements, and while it didn't hurt, she was very careful with those first few moments. She raised herself up and then back down, a little bit at first and then a little more each time, until she'd built up a slow but steady rhythm. He kept himself still, letting her have the control and digging his fingers into her hips as their lips collided in a deep kiss. He wanted to throw her down and just _take_ her until she lost her mind, but he kept himself under impeccable control and let her ride him just the way that she wanted to.

She _loved_ it, but it wasn't quite enough. It felt good, but she wanted to feel better. So, after a few moments had passed and she was completely used to him, craving more and suddenly needing to cede the control to him, she broke their kiss and then breathed, "I want... I..."

"Want me to take over?" he guessed, and like with all of his previous guesses that night, he was right on the money. She nodded, and his gaze upon her darkened as he asked, "You want it slow or you want it fast?"

She exhaled shakily. "I... God, just..."

"... Fuck you til you scream?"

She _whimpered_ and nodded desperately. " _Yes_."

It was all he needed to hear. In one fluid, dizzying movement, she was down on her back again and he was on top of her, his lips crashing with hers as he granted her wish and took her with a bruising and _perfect_ passion. His weight felt perfect on her, making her feel safe and wanted and _amazing_ as he took her hips and angled them _just_ so, and that one small change made her gasp and bite her nails into his back.

"Good?" he asked roughly, watching her face as she moaned and moved her hips in sync with his.

"So good," she groaned, and she wondered how the hell he was making it feel _that_ good. It certainly never had before.

But he knew from his own experience that it could be better. As his pace quickened and his own face became awash with signs of his own pleasure, he adjusted their angle just a little bit, one more time. Then he forced his eyes open and looked down at her just in time to watch her mouth fall open and her back arch sharply, and that was when he knew he'd gotten it _just_ right.

She was bewildered, lost in him and lost in the pleasure that she hadn't known was even possible from the act that they were caught up in. But he was hitting her in all the right places, sending her climbing and reaching and finally falling apart when she couldn't hold back anymore. It was different than before, even longer and just as consuming and simply breathtaking. He watched her the whole time, savoring the way that she moaned and how her body clenched around him, and he followed her off the edge while she was still lost in bliss.

She couldn't have asked for anything better for her birthday, if she was being honest. As frustrated as she had been for so long, finally having her desired quenched and satisfied was better than words could have ever described.

When she finally came back down to earth, Bucky was still lying on top of her, breathing heavily against her neck and slightly smushing her with his weight, but she didn't mind in the least. She didn't want to move or let him go, and when she realized that this was it and now she'd have to tell him goodbye soon, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness. It was only a twinge, though, and overall she was just far too happy to let herself feel sad.

He eventually lifted his head up and grinned at her, shifting his weight off of her so that she could breathe fully again. He brushed some of the hair out of her face and said, "Happy birthday."

She couldn't help but giggle, still feeling entirely blissful and satisfied. "Thank you," she replied, smiling and watching him roll off of her and end up on his back, his eyes closed as he let out a deep, content breath. She wanted to follow him and snuggle up to his side, but she didn't think that cuddling was really part of the protocol in this situation, so she controlled her impulses.

Then to her surprise, he opened his eyes and shifted to his side, bringing them close once more. He reached out for her and smiled, and she wasted no time in shifting to her side as well so that they faced once another. His arm curled around her and he dropped a soft kiss to her lips, telling her, "You're really something, you know that?"

After all that they'd shared that night, she still managed to blush. "Sure you're not just saying that?"

"No, I mean it," he assured her. "You deserve to have nights like these all the time. I don't understand how nobody's ever done this for you before. And you're so easy to get off... I mean, do you realize how sensitive you are?"

She shook her head, her cheeks still burning. "No, not really."

"And you're _loud_ ," he noted with clear delight.

"I actually have never been loud before in my life," she replied, being entirely truthful. "That's... new." She then cringed. "Oh God, I probably sounded so _stupid_..."

He shook his head and immediately shushed her. " _No_. You sounded... incredibly hot. You're so sexy, Summer - how can you not know that?"

She tried to give him an answer, but she came up with nothing. He studied her for a moment, looking her over and absently caressing her face as he went on, "See, just from tonight... I think there's a side of you that you don't even know about yet. I think you've got a fire to you and you just need to let it out and... see where it leads you."

She blinked at him and asked, "Where it leads me?"

"Yeah," he said softly with a nod. "Like... maybe I'm wrong, but I think you're the type of girl who would love to have her hair pulled and get thrown around a little... maybe get tied up and spanked, too."

Her eyes widened and she smiled a little shyly, incredibly unaccustomed to having a man speak to her like that. Still, his words sent a new thrill through her veins, and she had to wonder if maybe he was on to something. "Oh, um... well I haven't really... thought of that before."

He raised a skeptical brow. "Really? Because I bet you're a lot dirtier in there," he pointed to her head, "than you'd ever admit."

She smiled. "You sure think you know me for someone who only met me..." She craned her neck to check the clock. "... Almost three hours ago? Holy crap, it's almost midnight."

"Yeah, time flies," he grinned. "But... just think about what I said."

She nodded, briefly biting her lip. "Okay."

He then kissed her one last time before pulling his arm from around her and sitting up. "Mind if I jump in the shower?"

She shook her head. "No, go ahead."

"Thanks," he said, still smiling as he stood up from the bed and grabbed his clothes from the floor. She watched him shamelessly as he strolled to the bathroom, and he glanced back once and shot her a grin that made her want to squeal with glee.

But she didn't. Instead she laid there and waited for the shower to turn on, and once it did, she grabbed her phone and proceeded to text the hell out of both of her friends, letting them know that the night had been a brilliant success. They answered immediately, both of them overjoyed on her behalf and rather pleased with themselves for coming up with such a great idea.

 _I am so getting you back though_ , she told Aemilia.

 _And how do you plan on doing that_? Aemilia replied, and Summer laughed quietly to herself before typing her response.

 _Oh, I'll think of something_.

Bucky didn't take long in the shower, emerging in only about five minutes. He was fully dressed and his hair was a wet, dark mess atop his head, and the moment that she laid eyes on him she realized how up for another round she would have been if he had offered. But he hadn't.

He grinned at her as she laid in the bed, under the sheets with her phone in her hand. "Texting already?"

"Oh yeah. You know how girls are," she replied, sitting up and keeping the sheet covering herself.

"I do," he chuckled, taking a seat at the edge of the bed near her feet. "Are you okay to get home on your own, or are you just gonna crash here?"

"Oh I'm definitely taking advantage of this room," she smiled. "Thank you for, um... tonight. It was... basically the best night of my life."

Pride and genuine happiness lit his face. "It was my pleasure, sweetheart. And I mean that literally, too."

She smiled and bit her lip, glancing down at her hands and then looking back up when he reached out and gently touched her face. He didn't say anything, though he seemed like he wanted to. Instead, he just smiled and then dropped his hand before saying, "Guess this is where we say goodnight."

She nodded, though really she was nowhere near being ready to let him go. "Goodnight."

He smiled and then stood up, walking over to where his coat was laying and throwing it on before turning and heading towards the door. Summer watched him until her instincts took over, at which point she grabbed the sheet and tried to wrap it around herself as best as she could and get to her feet without tripping and falling on her face. "Hey, wait."

He turned just before he reached the door, watching her as she quickly made her way to him. The sheet trailed behind her and she was a little flushed by the time she stopped in front of him and asked, "Would you think I'm pathetic if I asked you for one more kiss before you go?"

He seemed surprised, but the grin that spread across his lips let her know that he was happy for it. "No, not at all. Come here."

She quickly did as he said, stepping into arms that opened for her and wrapped around her as she slung her free arm around his neck. They were both smiling as they leaned in and met in a soft, sweet kiss, but their smiles quickly faded as that familiar heat replaced the happy, content satisfaction that they had both possessed before. One kiss became two, Bucky cradling her head for the second as her lips parted and he slid his tongue into her mouth, tasting her and setting her on fire all over again. It was all too easy, and the feeing was all too mutual.

When they broke for air, Summer looked up at him and he looked down at her, only a moment passing before he leaned in again and kissed her once more, this time more heatedly and more insistently. She moaned faintly into his mouth, knowing by now what it would do to him, and he responded by grasping her hips and pushing her just a _little_ roughly against the nearest wall.

She hit the wall with a thud, their kiss not breaking as he pressed his body to hers and she brought both of her hands to his damp hair. That resulted in the sheet falling to the floor at their feet, and when it happened they broke the kiss and looked down at the same time. Summer then glanced up to find Bucky eyeing her body with renewed lust, and she knew then that she would surely be getting her second round after all.

Bucky then quickly shrugged off his jacket and attacked her again, kissing her hard and murmuring, "You're gonna keep me up all night, aren't you?"

"Got somewhere else to be?" she asked just before he picked her up and started carrying her back to the bed, still fully dressed while she was fully naked.

"Not tonight," he grinned before tossing her down on the bed and kicking off the next chapter of the night, one that had the potential to even eclipse the first. She giggled as he climbed on top of her and kissed her, nearly dizzy with glee that she got to keep her present until the morning.

One thing was for sure; Summer's friends truly did give the very best gifts a girl could ask for.

* * *

After having truly stayed up most of the night just as Bucky had predicted, Summer and Bucky both passed out tangled up in each other in the wee hours of the morning. The sun woke them up not too much later, and though Summer hadn't gotten much sleep, she still awoke feeling more relaxed and rested than she had in _ages_. And for the first time in forever, she got to wake up next to a beautiful naked man who she might have fallen in love with just a _smidge_ the night before.

Once they were both awake and had dragged themselves out of the very comfortable bed, Summer claimed the shower first. She brushed her teeth and then jumped in, somehow surprised when he ended up opening the shower door and slipping inside with an open-mouthed kiss to her neck that her entire body tingle. She wasn't sure that morning-after shower sex was technically covered in whatever agreement Aemilia and Natasha had arranged, but it didn't stop her from gladly acquiescing when he pressed her against the shower wall and took her slowly and _perfectly_ until the water grew lukewarm.

Nearly an hour later, they were both still a little damp but clean - mostly - as they dressed and prepared to go their separate ways. Summer was pretty sure she'd be walking with a limp for a week, and Bucky looked so happy and cheerful after their night together that she had to wonder if he was like that with all of his clients. Surely not, though she wasn't nearly brave enough to ask.

When they were nearly ready, her phone lit up with a call from Aemilia, which Summer answered and quickly hung up from once she managed to express that Bucky wasn't quite gone yet and that she'd need to call her back. Aemilia almost squealed with delight for her friend before dutifully and immediately hanging up, and then Summer turned back to Bucky with a nervous smile.

"Was that one of the girls who arranged this for you?" he asked, pulling his coat on and smiling back.

"Yeah," she nodded. "My friend Aemilia. She's great. I really owe her, even though I wanted to kill her when she first told me what she'd gotten me."

He chuckled. "I think it worked out, don't you?"

She blushed, fiddling with her phone. "Oh yeah. Definitely... worked out." She paused and let out a little nervous laugh. "But I'm still gonna have to get her back one way or another. I don't know how, but... yeah. Maybe I can save up and get her own little night of... um..."

"... Hot marathon sex?"

She blushed again. "Yes. _That_. Just not with you. With somebody else. Because that would be weird. I wouldn't... um..."

Bucky raised his brows and grinned, and she trailed off and felt like her head was going to explode. "Wouldn't what?"

"It would just be weird, you know... sharing... um..."

Finally he chuckled and gave her shoulder a pat. "Relax. I'm just giving you a hard time. Got a picture of her?"

She blinked, trying to will away the fire under her face. "Yeah, of course. Why?"

"Maybe I can help you arrange something," he grinned. "I could even give you a discount. Referral and all."

She squinted. "Does it really work that way?"

He merely shrugged and took her phone when she offered it to him. He looked at the photo of Aemilia and Summer together at a party from a few months before and said, "Wow. She's stunning."

Summer nodded. "Oh yeah. Just absolutely gorgeous. She's from England and she's got a soft spot for British guys, so if your, um... service... has any of those..."

Bucky then smirked and pulled up Summer's contacts, hitting the button to make a new one and quickly typing in a number. "I think I know exactly who to recommend. Call this number if you decide to go through with it."

She took her phone back from him and eyed the number before asking with a smile, "Whose number is that?"

He merely grinned and replied, "Call it later and find out."

Almost positive that she would literally have a cow if it turned out that he had given her his own personal cell number, she nodded and then closed her eyes when he leaned closer to kiss her goodbye. It was soft and very familiar after the night - and morning - that they had shared together, and after he pulled away he smiled down at her. "See you around, Summer."

"Okay," she answered dumbly, smiling like an idiot and stealing one more kiss from him before he started walking towards the door. He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her one last time just before he opened the door and left, and after the door closed and he was officially gone, Summer collapsed on the bed behind her and _squeaked_.

Staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, she let out the only two words that she could coherently string together. " _Holy crap._ "


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: okay, part two time! :D this is, as promised, the Loki portion of the story, and some of you will recognize my lovely OC Aemilia from** ** _Ruin_** **. Here they meet under much different circumstances than in that story lol, and I very much enjoyed getting to write this couple in a new setting. I just generally LOVE AUs, and I can't help it :) Thank you guys so much for your wonderful response to this story so far, like I am super happy because I wasn't sure how the story would go over lol, but as usual you lovely readers are the BEST and I love you ALL :D And as always, HUGE thanks to midnightwings96 who provided quite a lot of help with this part of the story and is simply indispensable and AMAZING. GAH. This story isn't over just yet, but I can't say I have the slightest idea when I'll add to it again. I have some ideas and eventually I'll continue it, but possibly not for a few months since I have so much else in the works. BUT! If you like this, do please put it on alert because there will be more eventually :D**

 **I look forward to hearing from you guys, so please review and let me know what you think! :D**

Of all the most profound, uniquely satisfying and unforgettable moments that Aemilia would ever experience in her life, she knew that she had just lived through one of the very best as she made her way offstage and towards her dressing room. She had just taken her last bow after her big debut as a new lead soprano in the Metropolitan Opera, and words could not describe the adrenaline and leftover euphoria racing through her veins.

She shared a few laughs and hugs with her fellow singers in the hallway just before she ducked into her dressing room, and once inside, she closed the door and then leaned her back against it with a smile. She closed her eyes and took a moment to simply relish it all, thinking back to all of the hard and seemingly never-ending work that had led to this night finally arriving. All of the training, the school, the practice, the auditions, and then even more and rigorous practice, here she was. She felt like she was on top of the whole world, and as far as she was concerned, she was.

Then she heard a sudden and frantic knocking at the door behind her head, and she knew that knock far too well. She turned and opened it to find one of her best friends on the other side, clutching a small bouquet of flowers and beaming with her own poorly-contained glee.

Summer let out an incoherent squeak before shoving the flowers into her friend's hands and then exclaiming as she came barreling at her for a hug, "Holy crap, Aemilia, just holy fricking crap! _Oh my God_!"

Aemilia laughed with her, returning the bone-crushing hug. "Oh, Summer, you didn't have to get me these!"

Summer then suddenly pulled back and said with wide eyes, "Uh, yes I did. Because hello, big opening night with the fricking Met, kind of a big deal. Kind of demands a nice bouquet of flowers."

Aemilia then looked at the flowers again and smiled before relenting, "Well... all right, yes, I suppose you're right."

They then looked at each other as seriously as they could muster before they both broke out into excited giggles and hugged again, this time pulling away so that Aemilia could close the door and work on getting changed.

"So what was it like?" Summer asked, holding on to the flowers for Aemilia as she first took off her shoes. "Were you nervous? You didn't look nervous. You looked just absolutely perfect the whole time you were up there."

"Really?" Aemilia grinned, assuming that her friend was a bit biased in her favor. "Well... yes, I was a bit nervous at first, of course, just because of the sheer _magnitude_ of the theatre and just... finally being here, you know? But as soon as I began to sing, it all just... melted away and... I'm not sure I can even begin to describe what an incredible feeling it is."

Summer listened with a slightly dreamy expression on her face. " _Wow_. I'm just so happy for you. And proud of you. And just... oh my gosh, I think I'm gonna actually cry."

Aemilia looked at her with slightly wider eyes, stepping out of her dress and pausing when she realized that Summer _was_ actually about to cry. "Oh no, don't cry! If you cry then I might cry!"

Summer waved her hand, shaking her head and insisting, "I'm not gonna cry. I'm not. I'm good." She then paused at the sight of Aemilia down to her lingerie, which was decidedly rather fancy and impressive. " _Whoa_. You broke out the set you got during our last big credit-maxing shopping spree."

"Yes, well," Aemilia shrugged, walking over to where another dress hung on a door and taking it down from its hanger, "one can never be too prepared, yes?"

Her friend grinned and then said, " _Oh_ , so you plan on getting lucky tonight?"

Aemilia wrinkled her nose as she slid the little black dress on and said, "Well it sounds so crude when you put it that way..."

Summer then shrugged and suggested, "... Grab a hot piece of ass?"

Aemilia cringed. "Oh dear, that's even worse."

At the end of her rope, Summer waved her hand and tried one last time. "... Bump some uglies with a hottie?"

"Okay, you are officially no longer allowed to make innuendos," Aemilia decreed, waving a finger at her friend. "Let's just say that it has been quite some time since I have... enjoyed a bit of companionship, and I thought that perhaps we could grab a few of the other girls and see what the night has to offer."

"After-party bar hopping?" Summer grinned widely. "I'm always up for that."

Aemilia grinned back just as there was a knock on the door. All changed, she called for whoever it was to open it, and it was one of the other female singers in the group.

"Hey, just wanted to let you know - after-party's at a hotel couple blocks away. This literally _just_ happened - they rented out the whole ballroom."

"Oh!" Aemilia smiled. "All right! I'm almost ready to leave."

The girl then quickly ushered herself back out and closed the door, and Aemilia looked at Summer and found only equal excitement on her face. "Well, this should be fun. Maybe we can both, as you say, _get lucky_ tonight."

Summer didn't seem quite as into the idea for herself, but Aemilia had a suspicion as to why. Still, Summer shrugged and said, "Well, it's _your_ night, so it's non-negotiable for you. I'm your wingman."

Aemilia rolled her eyes as she grabbed her bag and her phone, but before she could argue, Summer added, "Oh, by the way - I've got a surprise for you later."

Aemilia raised one perfectly arched eyebrow in curiosity. "A surprise?"

Summer grinned excitedly and nodded rapidly. "Yup. A really good one, too. Like, the best surprise imaginable."

Aemilia's eyes continued to grow wider. "You've finally spent all of your life-savings on that BMW I've always wanted."

"No," Summer chuckled, "but close. Kind of. Not really. But you'll like it, I swear."

Summer was shifting on her feet a bit and maybe even blushing a little, and Aemilia continued to eye her suspiciously. "You're blushing."

Summer froze. "No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm not. It's just - the room's kinda hot, that's all."

Aemilia put her hands on her hips and tilted her head, not buying it. "Summer, _what_ did you do?"

Summer merely stared at Aemilia and slowly smiled before chirping nervously, "Better get going to the hotel so we're not late!"

 _Oh dear God_. Aemilia didn't have the chance to further investigate because Summer was then grabbing her hand and dragging her out into the hallway. She decided to give up and just go with it, wondering what in the world the surprise could be and intending to have fun and celebrate her big night in the meantime.

* * *

It wasn't long before Aemilia entirely forgot about her impending _surprise_ and found herself thoroughly distracted and reveling in the party that she and Summer quickly arrived to. It was lively and fun and such a change from what she was used to, and it was only as she downed her second drink of the night that she realized just how long it had been since she had legitimately _partied_. It had been even longer since she had purposefully flirted, but she got to enjoy a bit of that as well.

She met one or two male friends of her associates and they were cute enough for her to strike up a conversation with and practice her flirting skills with, but nobody there _really_ caught her eye. She couldn't tell if she was being overly picky or if her standards were simply just too high for own good, but she ended up back at Summer's side with her third drink after letting both men run along elsewhere.

"Your standards are _not_ too high," Summer insisted, far more sober than she usually was when free alcohol was thrown in front of her. "You should be proud of your standards. I mean, look at me. I used to constantly settle, and do you see how _that_ turned out?"

Aemilia smiled sympathetically at her friend and scanned her eyes over the other partygoers. "I know, but... do you realize how long it's been for me? I haven't done a thing since..."

" _Him_ , yeah," Summer sighed. "Well... what if I told you that my big surprise for you might kind of... change all that?"

Aemilia swallowed her latest gulp of champagne and then turned to look at her friend with slightly wide and suddenly worried eyes. " _What?"_

Summer merely flashed her a smile and then dug in her clutch for a moment before presenting Aemilia with, of all things, a hotel room keycard. "Surprise!"

Aemilia took it reluctantly, knowing from that very moment what Summer had done. She needed no other explanation, the implications quite obvious. "You _didn't_."

Summer was full of pride. "I did. I told you I was gonna get you back, didn't I?"

Aemilia was in shock. It had been one thing to do this for Summer, the poor deprived thing, but to be on the receiving end of this particular _gift_... well, she had never thought in a million years that Summer would actually do it. "But... you... I thought... how could you _afford_ this? I _know_ how much this costs and you are not exactly -"

Summer waved her off. "Don't worry about it. I got a discount."

Aemilia raised an eyebrow. "A discount?"

"Yeah, for referring the service to a friend, basically," Summer giggled. "Don't worry. I'm not in debt or anything."

Taking Summer's word for it, Aemilia then put her hand over her mouth and _laughed_ as she looked at the keycard. "Oh my God! I think I'm speechless. I don't know what to say!"

"It's all right, you can thank me later," Summer grinned, throwing an arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Do you have a picture? Who do I have?" Aemilia asked, excitement replacing the initial shock of it all.

"Okay, well, here's the thing about _that_ ," Summer began. "I don't exactly... have a picture..."

Aemilia's eyes widened. " _You don't_ \- Summer!"

Summer held up her hands in surrender and nodded. "I know, I know, but listen, listen. I got this all arranged through Bucky, and I showed him _your_ picture and he recommended someone. And I trust him."

Aemilia paused and then tried not to smirk too much as she gave her friend an _aha_ sort of look. "Oh? So you and _Bucky_ are still acquainted, then?"

Summer immediately blushed a bright pink and tried to appear nonchalant as she replied, "Well, let's just say that... he might have left me his number and told me to call it when I was ready to set up your surprise, and... when I did, we _might_ have met up for a drink, and..."

Aemilia grinned. " _And_?"

"... And he might have... provided his... services... again..."

"... For free?"

"He said it was 'on the house'," Summer said, her face now so red it could likely be seen from outer space.

Aemilia smacked her friend's shoulder playfully and laughed, "And you didn't tell me?! You little -"

"I know, I'm a big fat slut!" Summer whisper-yelled, both of them well aware that she was nothing of the sort. "But I couldn't tell you, because you were the whole reason why it happened and you know I suck at keeping secrets."

"True, you are utterly worthless when it comes to that," Aemilia chuckled. "All right, but... Summer, are you sure that you can trust him? I mean, I would hate for this man to show up and be the complete opposite of what I'm attracted to."

Summer gave Aemilia a _look_ and said, "Oh come on, give me _some_ credit. I told him all about what you like and your taste in men and he said this guy's perfect." Aemilia hesitated, and Summer added, "He sounds incredibly hot. He's tall and he's got wavy black hair, he's British, green eyes, and honestly Bucky sounded like he had a huge man crush on the guy. Like I almost asked if they ever got hired _together_ because he also said he's an amazing kisser and I'm not sure how he'd know that unless... _anyway_. Just... yeah."

Aemilia considered all of _that_ , mulling it all over in her head and then taking a breath. She then realized something strange. "If you had planned this in advance, how is it that the room you reserved for me is just upstairs?"

"Most convenient coincidence of the century?" Summer smiled. "I arranged all this a week ago, so... yeah. Let's just say the stars all aligned and it's a sign that you were totally meant to do this."

Aemilia giggled at her friend's words. "If you say so. When is he arriving?"

Summer checked her phone. "Oh, about... thirty minutes?"

Aemilia's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Thirty min-"

"Yeah, but he actually texted me that he's running late because of traffic and the snow and stuff, so probably more like forty five," Summer replied.

"You do like to cut it close, don't you?" Aemilia sighed, having hoped that she could have had time for a quick shower. Maybe if she hurried...

"Yeah, well, part of the whole getting you back thing, since you only told _me_ with like an hour to go," Summer smiled.

Aemilia gave her a slightly amused look and then asked, "What's his name?"

"Loki," Summer answered.

Aemilia narrowed her eyes. "Loki?"

Summer nodded. "Loki."

"Is that like a... stage name?"

"I don't know, Bucky didn't show me his birth certificate," Summer chuckled.

"... I wonder if the service also employs a Thor," Aemilia mused. "Perhaps a Hercules, too?"

"You can always ask for Thor and Hercules next time," Summer shrugged, and then both girls laughed. "But for now, you should probably get up to your room if you want to do some last minute... um... prepping."

"You're right," Aemilia nodded. "Although... what if he shows up and he is... well... not to my liking?"

"Tell you what," Summer said, "I will wait down here while you go up. I'll meet him at the door when he comes in, and if he's hot, I'll text you and tell you. If he's _meh_ , then I'll text you and you can leave the room before he gets there, and no harm done. I'll tell him you got food poisoning and had to go home and cuddle with your toilet all night."

Aemilia wrinkled her nose. "That is a _horrid_ excuse."

"... Got your period?"

Aemilia hesitated. "I'm not sure that's much better."

"... Had to go take care of your mom who just fell and broke her hip?"

Aemilia rolled her eyes. "Food poisoning it is."

Summer grinned and then shooed Aemilia away. "Okay. Go and get ready and wait for my text." She then stopped shooing her so that she could hug Aemilia instead. "I think you're in for a hell of a night."

Aemilia grinned as she pulled away, replying wholeheartedly, "I certainly hope so. I'm well overdue for one."

"Exactly. Now go!"

Aemilia giggled and then headed out of the ballroom, telling a few of her friends goodbye along the way, none of them realizing that she was only taking an elevator ride up to one of the higher floors of the hotel. She clutched the room key in her hand, excitement and slight fear making her heart race a little bit as she stepped inside of an empty elevator and hit the button to go up. The only thing that she was afraid of was the man showing up and turning out to be all wrong, but other than that, she felt rather fearless and quite ready for the night to begin. She was still a little bit in shock that it was _happening_ and that Summer had actually gone and arranged this for her, but it was a pleasant sort of shock.

She was _very_ curious as to how this little night of hers would turn out.

* * *

Summer was lingering in the lobby of the hotel some fifteen minutes after Loki was scheduled to arrive, keeping busy on her phone and trying not to appear too obvious in her efforts to keep an eye out for him. Luckily, nobody walked through the doors who resembled his description, so she never had to approach the wrong person and ask " _Excuse me, are you the male escort I hired to ravish my best friend tonight_?"

Her worries ended up being baseless, however, because from the moment that the right man walked through those doors, she immediately knew that it was him. He was dressed impeccably in a suit and long coat, his hair windswept and expression a bit harried as he hurried inside. He didn't give off the impression that he was accustomed to making his ladies wait.

Also, he was disgustingly hot and Summer was fairly sure that Bucky's description hadn't even done justice to the man.

"Loki?" she squeaked out just as he nearly stormed past her. He stopped in his tracks and looked at her, and she felt the sudden urge to squeak like a mouse the minute he turned those green eyes upon her. "I'm Summer, uh... Aemilia's friend?"

"Oh yes," he said, expression softening once she identified herself. "I apologize, I am _never_ usually late."

"It's okay," she smiled, melting inside at the sound of his voice. Bucky had mentioned the voice, too, but once again, nothing could compare to the real thing. "It actually worked out really well. She's up on the fourteenth floor, room 205, so, uh... yeah, go on ahead."

"Thank you, darling," he said sincerely, nodding politely to her and smiling before heading on his way. She watched him go in a stupor, her brain the consistency of a Jell-o cup.

She almost forgot to grab her phone and text Aemilia to give her the green light, but she remembered right at the last minute. She furiously typed her message while heading through the hotel's revolving doors, a stubborn smile on her face as she paid attention to what she was typing rather than where she was going. Luckily, she managed to hit the send button before she smacked into the door face-first and made herself look like an idiot.

* * *

Aemilia was running her fingers through her long auburn waves and touching up her lipstick when her phone buzzed on the bathroom counter in front of her. She quickly swiped the screen to read the new text from Summer, knowing that this was the moment of truth.

 _Holy crap he's so hot you're gonna die, dead dead dead SO HOT AKSNDMKSKWKSOS_

The text was followed by a series of emoticons including a skull emphasizing the death thing and then blushing yellow faces followed by heart-eyes faces. Aemilia grinned and bit her lip, now not doubting in the least that this guy _was_ in fact attractive. She trusted Summer's judgement on such matters and they'd never steered one another wrong before, and now that "Loki" had passed her test, Aemilia's only source of hesitance flew out the window. All that was left was excitement, and _damn_ was she _excited_.

She gave herself a final once over in the mirror. Her makeup was perfect, her hair was soft and it looked lovely, and she thought that she was dressed rather well for the occasion. Her black dress was short and long sleeved and the back of it was sheer with lace embellishments that also ran down through the sleeves. It fit her perfectly and she had never been more happy that she'd decided to wear some of her best lingerie just _in case_.

After her _incredible_ day and night, she felt confident and more than ready to end the day on a high, _satisfying_ note. In fact, as she grabbed her phone and walked out of the bathroom, she could already feel a low pulsing begin to echo through her body in anticipation of what she knew was to come. It had been ages since she'd been truly _satisfied_ , and the idea of having a night meant just for that and getting to call the shots and be catered to...

The soft knock on the door made her snap out of her brief fantasy and toss her phone aside, a smile spreading across her face as she quickly walked to the door. She contained her excitement as best as she could, utterly on the edge of her seat with anticipation to discover for herself just what this man looked like.

She opened the door and then realized that Summer had not been exaggerating in the least.

There was Loki, standing on the other side of the door looking like something that had stepped out of a movie and right into her life for a night. He was indeed tall and handsome, black hair dusted with little tiny flecks of snow that hadn't yet melted, green eyes piercing into hers from a face that was pale and sharp in only the very best of ways. His cheekbones were _stunning_ , and it was difficult to tear her eyes away from his face to look at the rest of him, but she managed. He looked like a man of expensive and refined tastes, dressed in a long and warm black coat and what looked like a black suit underneath, though she could not see a lot of it yet.

"Are you Aemilia?" he asked questioningly as her eyes soaked him up, and her gaze flew up to his the moment her name rolled off of his tongue in an elegant, effortless drawl.

"Yes," she smiled, opening the door more fully. "You must be Loki."

"That I am," he grinned back. "I apologize for my tardiness. Traffic was ghastly."

"Oh, it's perfectly fine," she assured him, stepping aside to let him in. "I understand."

He walked inside, stepping past her as she tried to fight the grin trying permanently etch itself on her features. She closed the door and then turned back to him, watching him as he shed his coat and turned his gaze to her. His eyes flickered from her face all the way down to her shoes, and then slowly dragged back up until their eyes met once more.

A smirk tugged at his lips as he told her, "You are even lovelier than I was told you would be."

She smiled, liking the way that she felt under his gaze already. "I can say the same for you."

His smirk lingered as he set aside his coat, and she quickly took in the suit in its entirely. Black with a white shirt underneath, black waistcoat with what looked like the gold chain of a pocket watch tucked into it, and then a deep green tie to pull it all together. She almost giggled - he didn't know it yet, but once her dress came off, he'd see how well they matched one another.

"This is a very... peculiar set of circumstances," Loki admitted. "It isn't often that I find myself paired with a woman as I was in your case."

"Oh yes, you mean the, ah... referral," Aemilia chuckled. "My friend and your... colleague seem to be getting on rather well, don't they?"

"I should hope so. He rarely speaks of anything else."

Aemilia's eyes widened. " _Really_?"

He grinned. "I trust his judgment, which is why I have been looking forward to this night."

She smiled and replied, "Oh?"

He looked at her like he was both amused and trying to figure her out at the same time, and she had no doubt that he was. Then he gestured to the small sitting area of the suite and asked, "Shall we talk for a bit?"

"Of course," she agreed, walking past him when he gestured for her to go first. She offered him a drink on their way to the little couch, but he politely refused and she'd had her fill at the party.

Once they were seated next to one another with a small but comfortable space between them, Aemilia smiled at him and began with a question. "So... how does this sort of thing normally go for you?"

"Well," he replied thoughtfully, an air of professionalism and magnetism about him that she found as impressive as she did attractive, "I like to begin the night with an honest and open conversation. The more upfront a woman is about what she wants, the better I can serve her and make sure she comes away from the experience happy."

Just those words alone made the faint pulsing already in her veins grow to a steadier, heavier thrum. She smiled and replied, "That sounds very sensible."

"It is. So tell me about yourself, darling."

"Well," she began, taking a breath, "I am a professional singer. I'm a soprano in the Met, and tonight was our opening night."

His eyebrows lifted, impressed. "Indeed?"

She smiled with pride. "Yes. It was amazing. I've worked very hard to get to this point and... truthfully, I don't think I've ever been happier."

He smiled at her admission, and the sincerity of it was dazzling. "Well, congratulations. You ought to be very proud. Where in England are you from?"

"London, actually," she replied. "I lived there with my mother until she remarried. My stepfather owns a business here in New York, so we came when I was 16."

"Do you miss it? Home?" he asked, and if he was only pretending to care about her answers, then he was the best liar she'd ever encountered.

"Sometimes," she admitted with a slight shrug. "But I love my life here too much to spend much time looking back."

"Good," he nodded. "Is there a man in your life?"

"Not since... I think now it's been nearly a year and a half," she replied, doing the math in her head. "It was a long relationship. My longest, actually. But it didn't work out."

"I imagine many men would be intimidated by your talent and success," Loki replied.

"Well, yes, that certainly played a role," she sighed. "He didn't like how busy I was all the time and the fact that I had to put my work before him. But I wasn't going to sacrifice my success for a man, not even one I loved."

"As you shouldn't," Loki said. Then he paused, his eyes flickering over her face and her hair before briefly skimming over her body. "You must have lovers."

She grinned and shook her head, still greatly enjoying the way that he made her feel when he looked at her. "At the moment, no, I do not. My standards seem to be too high for my own good."

He seemed both bewildered and amused. "A year and a half has passed and you haven't taken a lover?"

She nodded, enjoying the way that he spoke. Very few people ever used such terminology as _taking a lover_ anymore. "There were a few times that I thought about it, but... I simply haven't met anyone who truly interests me. And I'm not one for empty, shallow things. I would rather be alone."

"I respect that very much," he quickly replied. "And I hope you don't mind me then asking what you consider _this_ to be, because many would say empty and shallow is exactly what I'm here for."

"You're right," she agreed, a faint twinkle in his eye catching her gaze. He was utterly beautiful, and he seemed to only grow more so the longer she looked upon him. "I suppose for me, this is more of a... celebration of sorts. I feel that I've earned a night like this."

"I have no doubt," he grinned. "You strike me as a confident woman. I like that. I also suspect that you know exactly what you want from me."

A faint blush touched her cheeks. "Well... it's a bit more complicated than that, I think."

"How?"

She paused. "I've always considered myself rather... adventurous. And there are things that I'm curious about. But none of my previous boyfriends ever felt the same. Especially the last. He liked routine and predictability. If it isn't broken, don't try to fix it, you know?"

"I do know," Loki replied with a faint grimace.

"And there's nothing wrong with that," Aemilia shrugged. "I just happen to like trying new things. Or at least I think I would. I've never really gotten to try before."

"And when you say new things... what did you have in mind?" he asked, leaning a little bit closer to her. She crossed her legs as she considered her next words, not missing how his eyes flashed to them before returning to her face.

She smiled a little nervously, her confidence unwavering but there was just something so different and _exciting_ about talking about this to a handsome, perfect stranger that it made her just the smallest bit anxious.

"You can tell me," he assured her, giving her a little smile back. "That's why I'm here, after all."

"Well," she began after taking a breath, "I always wanted to try things a little... rougher. Nothing crazy or excessive, but..."

He grinned like he knew exactly what she was talking about. "All right."

"And... I've always been curious about perhaps... being tied up. Again nothing crazy, but -"

"A bit of light bondage?" he suggested with a knowing grin. It made her blush.

"Maybe," she answered coyly.

"Would you consider yourself submissive?" he asked, a curious glint in his eye.

She thought about that for a moment. "A little bit. But not entirely. I think honestly that I could equally enjoy being dominated and... taking control myself."

He tilted his head, looking her over and considering her answer. "Hm... you know, that's not something I often hear. For whatever reason, it seems as if most people think they have to pick one side and stick to it."

"Wouldn't that get rather boring after awhile?" she wondered aloud. "I mean... where's the fun in always doing the same thing?"

He grinned at her as if he knew right then that he was going to _love_ this particular night. "You _are_ an adventurous little creature, aren't you?"

She grinned back, looking up at him through her lashes as replied, "I was hoping that you could help me find that out."

"Oh, I will," he said lowly, reaching out to gently stroke her cheek with the back of two fingers. It was then that she realized how exquisite his hands were, soft and elegant with long fingers that would soon touch much more than just her face. "And it will be my pleasure, darling."

She kept her eyes locked with his as his fingers left her face, and with just that one little fleeting touch, she found that her patience was all but gone. He was beautiful and intriguing and _so close_ but not close enough. She was ready, and she didn't want to wait any longer.

She looked down and reached out to his hand, taking it between both of her hands and examining it more closely. She ran her fingertips delicately up and down his hand, over the long lengths of his fingers and noting, "You have _very_ nice hands."

While she stared at his hands, his eyes were on hers. "Do I?"

She looked up at him and gave him a knowing little smile. "Don't pretend that I am the first to say so. I have no doubt that you hear it all the time."

He grinned back, clearly delighted with her spunk. "Well... I'm more often complimented on my _fingers_ , specifically."

He slid his hand slowly up her hand and over her wrist, the delicate, innocent touch making the heat within her rise more. "Are you?"

"You'll find out why soon enough, _little one_ ," he replied, his voice so smooth that the richest velvet was put to shame. Aemilia didn't understand why, but those last two little words that he had uttered had snapped what little self control she had left, and she knew then that she could not possibly wait any longer.

She stood up gracefully from the couch, letting his fingers slip through hers. She looked at him with all of the heat and desire that she felt inside and then turned away, walking towards the bed as her heels clicked beneath her. He watched her for a moment before standing as well, shedding his suit jacket and leaving it in a heap on the couch as he followed after her.

She came to a stop just in front of the bed and looked at him over her shoulder as she swept her mane of hair aside. "Unzip me?"

"Of course," he replied, closing the distance between them and delicately pulling down the zipper of her dress. He pulled until the dress was open all the way down to her lower back, and then he let his hands fall as she began to take off the garment the rest of the way. He didn't know if she meant the display as a show for him, but that was precisely what he got as he watched the dress fall to the floor at her feet. His eyes fell from her nearly-bare back to the curve of her hips and the perfect roundness of what her black panties barely covered, then down to her black-hose covered legs standing tall in her heels. He looked back up when she turned around, fully showing him the dark green and black ensemble that matched his suit better than either of them could have expected. He couldn't help but grin, just a little bit, at how very perfect it was.

She tossed her hair behind her back, the red curls falling to her waist and providing a lovely highlight to her creamy, seemingly flawless skin. She slowly stepped up to him, placing one foot in front of the other as he continued to relish in the sight of her. Everything about her was perfectly proportioned, from her breasts that sat snug in her bra and were neither too small nor too large but full and calling to his hands, to her hips that looked as soft as they did firm. But most enchanting of all were her eyes, which his were led back to when she reached out and took his face between her hands.

She pressed herself against him, her breasts against his chest as she swept both of her thumbs along those impressive cheekbones of his. Her gaze dropped from his eyes to his lips and then rose back up again as she softly demanded, "Kiss me."

He closed his eyes and immediately obeyed. His hands softly grasped her hips and her fingers slid to his hair as his lips pressed against her fuller, berry-colored ones. The heat underneath her skin ignited the moment he kissed her, engulfing her from the inside out as she finally got a taste of the sort of attention that she needed so badly. Only the first brush of their lips was close to being chaste; afterwards, she let her lips part and he kissed her again, more deeply, and she was the first to slide her tongue between curious lips and take what she wanted. He responded with equal enthusiasm, and soon they were locked in a furious kiss that was exactly what Aemilia had been craving for _ages_.

His raven-black hair between her fingers was soft and just long enough to _really_ get a handful of. He was as good a kisser as his recommender had claimed, making her whine against his lips with his skill as his hands tugged her closer. Her hips pressed into his, his hands wandered to grip her ass and then slide up her smooth back, moving up and down as she lost herself entirely to him and the night that laid before them.

She got the chance to catch her breath when his lips left hers only so that they could press to her neck and kiss and suck there lightly, gentle but insistent and perfect. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to moan softly, grinding her hips against his and looking for any kind of friction that she could get.

This did not go unnoticed. Loki pulled away from her neck and looked her over, noting her dilated eyes and flushed skin, and he didn't think twice about sitting her down on the edge of the bed and then dropping to his knees before her. He watched her blink with surprise, having not expected that, and he only grinned at her before running his hands up her thighs and laying a gentle kiss on her collarbone. He then groaned as he dragged his lips down towards her chest, "You are truly _exquisite."_

Aemilia's hand was fisted in her hair, her back arching a little to meet his touch as he rained soft, teasing little kisses along the swells of her breasts. He didn't try to further undress her just yet, and he was still fully clothed himself, and that was just fine with her. She loved a handsome man in a well-tailored suit, and having one kneeling on the floor between her carelessly open legs and kissing slowly down her stomach and teasing his hands up and down her thighs while she sat in nothing but some of her best lingerie... it was utterly perfect.

He drew back after he pulled a quiet moan out of her with a sharp, sensual nip to her hipbone. He looked up and made eye contact as his hands gently pushed her legs open just a little wider, and she stared back fearlessly, needing more. Her cheeks were flushed and her skin tingled everywhere he touched it, and she was so wound up and already mad with sheer, consuming need that had been building under her nose for _months_. Now it had reached critical levels, and a lesser man might not have noticed and may have continued stringing her along and teasing her when it was the last thing that she wanted. Loki, however, was not a lesser man.

She made a soft sound of surprise when he yanked her all the way to the very edge of the bed so that she was nearly dangling off of it. Then, supporting her legs on his shoulders, he dropped his lips to her inner thigh and kissed open-mouthed along the bare skin not covered by her hose. She twisted her fingers in his hair, losing her breath when he simply grasped her panties in his hand and pushed them aside as his trail of kisses ended _exactly_ where she needed it to.

Her eyes closed and her back arched at the sudden, perfect assault. She let her head fall back and she didn't even try to censor the sounds escaping her lips, instead leaning on the bed with one white-knuckled hand and hanging on to Loki's hair with the other. He wasn't slow or even sweet about it, instead using _just_ the precise amount of pressure and speed to bring her to a swift and desperately needed end. It was spectacular and came on so quickly that it took her by surprise, her resulting cry as much one of shock as it was of toe-curling pleasure.

She collapsed back on her elbow as she panted and slowly came down from her high, body trembling and fingers releasing his hair as they fell limp to the bed. He eased her shaky legs from his shoulders, looking up at her as he licked his lips and placed a little kiss on the inside of her knee. She opened her eyes and blushed at the way that he was looking at her, rising up so that he was only kneeling on one knee as he murmured, "Such a needy girl you are."

She pushed off of her elbow, sitting up and placing them both at eye level as she reached for him. "You have no idea how badly I needed that."

He grinned and kissed her, letting her fingers begin working on the buttons of his waistcoat. "I could tell. Consider that your warm-up."

She bit her lip and held back an excited giggle as she pushed the waistcoat off of his shoulders and to the floor. She quickly then pulled at his dark green tie, loosening it and then removing it before she began working at his shirt. She undid the buttons as swiftly as she could and then leaned in to kiss him again, her fingers moved blindly down the line of buttons as his tongue played enticingly with hers and made her realize just how much more she would need that night before she would be truly satisfied.

She broke the kiss to help him pull his shirt off, pushing at it as he pulled it off and left it on the floor behind him. She was not disappointed by what her eyes quickly fell too, finding that she rather appreciated his lean, toned torso, only just a little bit paler than his face and his arms. He was beautiful, strong-looking but not overly so, and if she was being honest... just her type.

She ran her hands down his chest, nails softly grazing his skin, and then she decided that she was rather sick of their current position. "Come closer," she told him, taking her hands away and moving back on the bed, away from the edge and towards the center. He stood and watched her as she moved, his eyes never leaving her as he first shed his shoes and his pants. She watched him just as greedily, lightly touching her fingertips to the top of her own breast in a small, casual touch that immediately drew his eye. Nearly naked, he began to slowly lower himself down on the bed, watching her hand as she trailed it down over her belly and slowly over her thigh. He slowly came closer as she brought her hand up her inner thigh in a slow, teasing sort of way, her fingers retreating before she could touch herself.

Her legs spreading a little wider so that he could place himself between them, he teasingly slipped a finger beneath the top of one of her stockings and then pulled on it, letting it snap gently back against her thigh. "You know," he said, meeting her heated gaze, "I find myself suddenly intrigued as to how you... tend to yourself, in the absence of a lover."

She let a small, falsely innocent smile grace her lips. "Well, I'm sure that a man as clever as yourself can figure it out."

"But I don't want to," he replied, smoothing his fingers over the silken garter on her hips, his lips a breath away from her skin as his nose grazed just above her hipbone. He glanced up and their eyes met. "I would much rather have the privilege of _watching."_

She felt an unexpected jolt of excitement at those words, finding that this man, this stranger, had a way of making her feel more beautiful and powerful than any man ever had before. And not a single one had ever uttered such words to her.

"Tell me," he said lowly as he slowly kissed a soft, hot trail up her body, "tell me how you sate yourself when you're alone."

Her face felt like it was on fire, and she closed her eyes as he began kissing her neck slowly and hotly. She let out a shaky breath, her hand back in his hair as she said quietly, "I hardly have the time... most nights I'm too exhausted and fall asleep the moment I fall in bed." He groaned and nipped at a particularly sensitive spot, and her entire body shivered. She dragged her hand slowly down his back, acquainting herself with it as she added, "But some mornings if I wake up early enough, I..."

He pulled down one of the straps of her bra as he began kissing her down lower, towards her breast. "You what?"

She didn't understand why speaking of this was so thrilling and why she was so incredibly turned on from it, but far be it from her to question a good thing. "I'll take my time and... lie there under the covers and..."

He pulled down the other strap of her bra then and gently pulled down the entire thing, exposing both breasts to his eyes at last. She watched as he looked at them, licking his lips and cupping them with both hands before he forced his eyes back to hers. "And how do you do it? Do you use your fingers, or do you have help?"

She smiled at the way that he worded the question, then closed her eyes and exhaled harshly when he placed his mouth on her breast. "I actually prefer my fingers. I always have."

He lavished attention on her breasts, lips and tongue on one and his talented fingers on the other, pausing only to look up and ask, "And do you save this for your bed only?"

She shook her head, his actions bringing the pulsing in her body back to a needy and consuming roar. She closed her eyes and gasped a little at a gentle nip of his teeth. "No. Sometimes my couch, or..." She tightened her fingers in his hair and slung one leg over his hip, trying to pull him down closer. "... The bath."

He groaned in approval, abandoning her breasts to kiss her lips again before he murmured, "And how long does it last?"

She looked him in the eye and replied with more bravery than she knew she had, "Awhile. I drag it out to make it last longer. I don't usually like short, fleeting things."

His hand went between them, stroking down over her hip, and his eyes were on fire. "And do you stop at just once?"

"Sometimes," she answered teasingly. His hand wandered between her thighs, brushing softly over her through her panties and making her lose her breath again.

"And other times?"

She tried to push against his hand, to get more friction than what he was giving her. She kept her eyes on his as she replied, "Other times I keep going until I can't stand it anymore."

He groaned and then kissed her with a new passion, fingers slipping insistently into her underwear and giving her what she so desperately wanted. She moved in time with his hand as it expertly played with her, moaning softly between hot kisses and feeling like she could stay like that forever, open and wanton and a little bit disheveled in the best of ways. He was exceedingly skilled, as good with his fingers as he was with his mouth, and just like the first time, it took her by surprise how suddenly and quickly her peak came and washed over her.

She sunk like a rock down against the bed, breathing hard and eyes closed after it was over. Loki kissed her neck softly, taking the opportunity to quietly and quickly rid her body of her lingerie. He was a little sad to see it go, having greatly enjoyed it, but he was far more fond of the bare, soft skin that laid beneath. First he removed her bra and then her stockings, peeling each one down her perfect, smooth legs and tossing them aside. Then her garter went next, and she opened her eyes and dutifully lifted up her hips to help as he pulled her panties down her legs.

Then she was bare, a little fuzzy-brained still and yet not quite satisfied yet. He looked her over like she was a piece of art and he was the lucky bastard who got to have it all to himself and lay only his eyes upon it.

" _Magnificent_ ," he said quietly, meeting her eyes again. The word didn't make her giggle or think that he was being silly or exaggerative. Instead, she knew somehow that he meant it, and she could not even begin to question him. She took the word and tucked it away into her memory, knowing that she would never forget it.

Her limbs still a bit shaky, she slowly sat up and reached for him. He pulled her close and their lips collided again, and after a small flurry of movements, she was seated in his lap and grinding down on his need for her as they began to kiss like mad.

It was extraordinarily easy to forget that he was being paid for this and that they hadn't met as any other ordinary pair had. Aemilia was so far away from it all, wrapped up in him and the undeniable spark between them and the power that she felt when he began to groan harshly and pull her down harder on his lap. She smiled into their kiss, knowing what she was doing to him and enjoying every last moment of it.

Before long, she was all but riding him, rocking insistently down upon him as his teeth bit at her shoulder and he moaned with pleasure. It felt good for her too, subtle but steady sparks of her own pleasure guiding her movements until his hands suddenly seized her hips and forced her to abruptly cease.

"Stop, darling," he pleaded, breathless and flushed as he raised his head to met her gaze. "Please."

She knew exactly why he wanted her to stop, but she played innocent and rocked against him again, asking a guileless, "Why?"

He groaned again and thrust up against his own will. "You _know_ why, little one."

She grinned, deciding that she loved his little term of endearment for her. She hoped he didn't call any of his other ladies by that name.

"Make me," she challenged him, and the dark, dangerous look that suddenly flooded his eyes made her nearly tremble with anticipation.

"As you wish," he grinned before gathering her up and then tossing her down on her back. She giggled softly and then closed her eyes when he kissed her, taking her wrists in his hands and laying them above her head on the pillow beneath it. His teeth caught her lip as he pulled away, their eyes meeting before he released it and grinned. "Stay here. Do not move."

She nodded obediently, then watched as he left her to retrieve something from the floor. He came back bearing his tie in his hands, and she knew just what he intended to do with it.

"Stay there," he reminded her, kneeling over her to wrap the tie around two posts on the headboard. He was essentially sitting just above her stomach, and she found herself at near-eye level with something that he really should never have expected her to ignore. She seized the opportunity while she had it and disobeyed him, pulling her arms down just before he reached for them, then swiftly pulling down the boxer briefs he somehow still had on and taking him in both her hand and her mouth before he could even begin to realize what had hit him.

She had to lean up on her free arm and crane her neck at an odd angle to accomplish the feat, but the sound of his surprised gasp was the most satisfying thing she'd heard all night. He was not particularly small either, which she had been aware of long before that moment, but it didn't stop her from taking him in as deeply as she could while he grasped suddenly at the headboard to stay upright.

She looked up at him as she drew back, his face a mixture of surprise and lust and sheer delight as he gazed down upon her. There was a loose dark curl hanging over his forehead, tickling his eye and making him look a little less in control than he had until that point. She almost smiled before closing her eyes and resuming her task, focusing fully upon it and stifling a moan when she felt his hand go to her hair and his hips press gently forward.

"You... maddening creature," he marveled, not daring to take his eyes off her as she continued to take advantage of her position. He let her work and waited until the last minute to gently tug her away by her hair, her cheeks flushed and almost as breathless as he was. He quickly shifted so that he was on top of her and her wrists were in his hands again, his eyes a little wild as he told her, "You'll pay for that, darling."

"Did you not enjoy it?" she teased, knowing full well that he had. He was binding her wrists to the bedpost, the silk of his tie smooth but snug against her skin as he pulled it tight. She tugged at the restraints once he was finished, testing the hold and finding it good and unyielding.

"Of course I did," he grinned, admiring his handiwork for a moment before slipping back down so that they were eye level. He traced her cheek with a single finger. "Your mouth is _sinful_. Even better than I had imagined."

Not bad for little to no practice for a rather long time, she nearly said.

"You're a fiery little thing," he said, tone a little softer as he traced her lower lip softly. "And you _know_ it, don't you?"

She kissed his fingertip in reply, her eyes begging for more from him. Tied up like this and at his mercy, she was desperate all over again and ready for whatever it was that he saw fit to give her. He grinned again and then kissed her lips once, then her neck and her throat, and he did not stop his journey downwards until he was back between her thighs. This time, he was going to draw it out and make it last, just as she had claimed that she liked, and he was going to test her limits.

What followed was so far beyond anything Aemilia had ever experienced that she simply didn't know what to do with herself. She laid there on the bed, arms restrained above her head and legs splayed wide as Loki used his fingers, his mouth _and_ his voice to drive her to her breaking point. He started slow and sweet, his tongue nothing short of magic and his fingers delicate and never misguided or unwelcome. He pushed her until she was writhing gently and needy for more, and he gave it to her. He gave her everything she needed, everything she wanted, only to stop just long enough to make sure that she didn't fall apart. Then he would start all over again, and after several repeats of this torturous process, Aemilia was an incoherent and mindless wreck. She couldn't control him, couldn't make him do what she wished, and she couldn't even reach her own hand down and bring the torture to an end herself. She was at his mercy.

And she wasn't sure that she had ever loved anything more.

He finally let her have her way once she begged and pleaded with words that only half made sense, and once he pushed her over that edge, she nearly fainted from the intensity of it. All of it - being restrained and powerless, the edging, the denial, and the absolutely _perfect_ things that he did to her - all collided and resulted in what was the single most intense orgasm of her life.

She felt half dead on the way back down, worn out and useless and blown away. She closed her eyes and could have even fallen asleep right then and there if not for his stubborn, talented tongue finding her _again_ and not relenting until he had pushed her over the edge two more times. He only stopped when she began to squirm away, unable to take anymore and far too sensitive to stand another touch.

That was when he undid her restraints, letting her numb and aching arms fall free to her sides as she breathed like she had just been brought back from the brink of death by a great shock. She was still incoherent, and he decided to pull her into his arms and try to soothe her back into reality. He was incredibly proud of his work, and seeing her so fully befuddled and lost as a result of his touch brought him more satisfaction than he could have thought possible.

When enough of her brain had returned to her, she opened her eyes and looked up to find intense green ones gazing back at her. She smiled and laid her head against his chest, closing her eyes and enjoying the closeness, the surprising intimacy between them in that moment. His fingers were carding softly through her hair and his other arm was wrapped tightly around her middle, and though she still felt as if all the bones had gone from her body and she was now little more than gelatin, she wondered if she had ever felt better before in her life.

She didn't think so.

He was the first to speak, his voice as smooth as ever in her ear. "I do hope that I've lived up to your... expectations."

She smiled and leaned her head back, shaking her head. "No, not at all. You've taken my expectations and utterly demolished them."

His answering grin was as attractive as it was maddening. "Have I?"

She nodded. "Yes, and I'm not sure that I could physically walk right now if I wanted to."

He chuckled and stroked her cheek affectionately. "I'm afraid that's a rather common side effect. Regrettable, but worth it, don't you think?"

"Unquestionably," she replied, leaning up to kiss his lips. It was a light, easy kiss, and after she pulled away, she found that she simply had to ask him something that she had been wondering all night. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Is your name _really_ Loki?"

He chuckled again, apparently having not expected that to be her question. He nodded and then shrugged, "Let's just say my mother was _very_ interested in Norse mythology."

She smiled. "Do you have a brother named Thor?"

"If I told you I did, would you believe me?"

She smiled even more widely. "Unlikely."

"That's what I thought," he grinned before kissing her again. This time the kiss lingered a bit, fueled by his still-raging desire and her wish to have him like this for as long as she could. She tangled her legs with his, deepening the kiss herself and running her palm over his chest, the desire to return all the pleasure that he had given her sparking the flame within her once more. She was exhausted, but she wasn't ready to call it a night just yet.

She broke the kiss and ran her hand teasingly down his belly, drawing her fingers back before they could touch him lower and then giving him a lazy smile as she shifted herself on top of him, knees on either side of his hips as she leaned down and captured his lips again. He grasped at her greedily, groaning softly and in dire need himself, the poor man. She didn't want to tease him, so she reached blindly to the bedside table without breaking the kiss, grabbing one of the condoms she had so smartly set there before he had even showed up earlier. She liked to plan ahead like that.

Then, item in hand, she broke the kiss and straightened up, sitting back on his hips as she opened it up and then gave him a slightly shy smile before she rolled it on him. He watched her silently, his eyes doing all the talking and giving away how sexy he found her in that moment. She caught the look once she was done, and it came as no surprise then when he grabbed her and flipped them so that she was on her back beneath him.

"Look at me," he told her quietly and seriously, his eyes locked with hers as she hooked her legs around his hips and he aligned himself with her center. "Keep your eyes on me, little one."

She melted all over again at the nickname before he pushed forward and was at last inside of her. Her mouth fell open and her breath stuttered at the intrusion, but she kept her eyes open and upon him just as he had told her to, and she was glad for it. The look on the face, the sight of his impeccable control _just_ slipping a little bit as he lost himself in her was the best thing she had seen all night. His own eyes closed and the tension fell away from his face, leaving him looking a little younger and almost innocent.

It wasn't easy for him, but he gave her time to adjust before he began to slowly move. Once he did, she met his slow, shallow thrusts with that of her own, eventually closing her eyes and holding on to him tight as she let all semblance of thought or logic disappear from her mind. He knew just how to move, where to hit within her and what to do, and it was absolutely perfect.

And yet she wanted just a bit more. Using one long leg hooked over his waist, she managed to flip them over without breaking their rhythm. She grinned playfully down at him and placed her hands on his chest as she took control of their pace, maintaining the previous rhythm but tailoring it to exactly what she wanted. She closed her eyes and arched a little when the change in angle proved _perfect_ , and then she was riding him as he watched her like she was nothing short of a goddess and he was privileged just to look upon her.

It wasn't long before her previous careful, precise rhythm gave way to a more frantic and desperate pace, and that was when Loki sat up and crashed his lips against hers. His hands came down upon her with such a sharp force that he nearly _spanked_ her, and the unexpected impact made Aemilia yelp softly with both surprise and pleasure. They both opened their eyes, Loki looking at her with clear delight in his gaze, and then he rather deliberately smacked his palm down on her again. She responded by moaning shamelessly and riding him even faster, and he couldn't help but groan into her ear as his own pleasure threatened to overcome him.

Both still moving with the same desperate speed, he leaned his forehead against hers and groaned, "Come on, darling. You're so close, I can _feel_ it."

She moaned, clutching his shoulders for dear life and still moving almost wildly in his lap. He grasped her breast as it bounced, flicking his thumb over her nipple as he urged her with his lips pressed to her ear, "Come for me, little one."

And just like that, she could hold back no more. Her nails dug lasting marks into his skin as she nearly _screamed_ his name, losing her mind and her body squeezing the life out of him, pushing him over the edge with her. She wasn't so far gone as to miss the deep, incredible moan that spilled from _his_ lips, and all in all, nothing in that moment could have possibly been better than it was. It was exactly what she had needed for so long, and the perfect end to a perfect night.

They ended up in a tangled heap in the center of the bed, just below the pillows without a stitch of fabric covering their bodies as they slowly recovered. She was grateful for the closeness, her breathing calming along with her racing heart as she laid draped halfway over him, her cheek on his chest and his chin at the top of her head.

She enjoyed the silence while it lasted, opening her eyes and blinking a few times as she marveled at how such a spectacular night had come about in the first place. She had lived her whole life until that point and never experienced anything like it, and she couldn't _believe_ what this man had been capable of making her feel. How could she go back to what she knew after _this_?

"I know you're awake," he said, his voice heavy with his own exhaustion as he ran his fingers through her hair and over her back, "because your lashes keep tickling me."

She smiled and chuckled, closing her eyes to spare him. "Sorry."

He shifted them just a little bit, so that he could tip her chin up and guide her eyes to his. He searched her gaze for a moment and then asked, "What are you thinking about?"

She paused for a moment, debating whether she should tell the truth or make something up. In the end, she settled for the truth, generally not a fan of deception. "Just that I fear you've ruined me a bit."

He nearly smirked. " _Ruined_ you?"

She smiled and shrugged one shoulder lightly. "Well... how exactly am I to go back to my normal life and my normal experiences, now that I know that _this_ can be this good? _Good_ isn't even the right word." She paused and looked at him, the sharp lines of his face and the deep green of his eyes, and she couldn't help but ask, "Are you aware that you have this effect on women?"

He smirked. "I am. I suspect it's why I'm rather successful at my job."

She smiled a little bit, shaking her head and running her hand absently down his chest. Then she closed her eyes and sighed, "I suppose you'll be leaving soon."

"Only if you wish me to," Loki replied, his fingers tracing lazily down her spine. "I can stay if you'd like."

She was too tired to care for what he might think of her should she voice her desire for him to stay, so it was exactly what she did. "I would like that."

"Then I will stay," he replied. And he did.

Only a matter of moments later, they were both under the sheets and warm as they laid together, Aemilia's back to Loki's chest and his arm draped over her middle. They were both rather exhausted, Aemilia especially, and after they got comfortable they were nearly asleep on the spot.

Loki kissed softly just behind her ear and murmured, "Goodnight, little one."

Aemilia smiled to herself sleepily and replied, "Goodnight, Loki." Then she added after a quiet yawn, "I do like it when you call me that. I hope you don't call _all_ of your ladies little one."

He hesitated to answer, pausing and mulling his answer for just a brief moment. Finally he replied truthfully, "I do not."

But she didn't hear him. She was fast asleep, and when he realized this, he smiled to himself and settled back in behind her. He closed his eyes and fell asleep with a hint of his smile lingering on his lips, and neither of them left the other's side until morning came.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: so to my own surprise, I managed to get another chapter of this little story done a couple days ago :D hopefully this will serve as a nice distraction for all the angst that I've been dumping on** ** _Life After Death_** **readers for the last two months or so lol. The next chapter is planned out and will be focusing on Loki and Aemilia, continuing the tradition of shifting between the two couples with each chapter :) hope you guys enjoy, and I'll try to update soon! :D**

It was a sunny and almost warm late morning in New York as Summer headed to her favorite little coffee shop, her laptop in tow and a number of ideas swirling through her head as she debated what to write for her latest article. It wasn't due for another week, but she had woken up that day in the mood to write and she knew herself well enough to take advantage of such a mood when it struck. Thus coffee shop, people watching, and hopefully a few hours of productive writing.

There was just nothing like New York City when it came to this sort of thing, and it was one of the reasons why Summer was hooked on the city. Some days she felt like Carrie Bradshaw, flitting about the city with her fabulous friends and building her writing career, and well, what more could a modern woman hope for?

Once she arrived at her favored coffee shop, she set up her laptop in her usual little corner booth and then headed up to the counter with her purse to order her coffee. She was third in line, so she texted a handful of friends while she waited. Aemilia had already been up for several hours, workaholic that she was, and after making tentative plans for lunch with her, it was finally Summer's turn to order her usual iced cinnamon latte.

It only took a few moments for her drink to be made, and once it was up, she grabbed the cup and then turned around with her eyes still glued to her phone. Not watching where she was going, she then proceeded to smack face-first right into someone rather tall and firm, dropping her phone to the floor upon impact but luckily saving her drink from spilling. Or maybe _not_ so luckily.

"Frick!" She exclaimed, backing up as quickly as she could as her face reddened in embarrassment. "I am so sorry, I wasn't looking and I -"

"... Summer?"

She blinked and then looked up, eyes widening when she realized just who she had literally _run_ into. Cheeks heating up even more, she all but squeaked, " _Bucky_?"

"Hey," he smiled, looking a bit embarrassed too but as handsome as ever. He was dressed a little too warmly for the weather, in jeans and an unnecessary dark blue jacket, and his hair was a beautiful mess on top of his head. Then he glanced down at the floor where her phone still was and instantly frowned. "Oh, shit."

She watched as the man who had been her two closest friends' last "birthday present" to her reached down and picked up her phone, the screen of which was now unfortunately shattered. She gasped when she saw the screen and then groaned in dismay, "Aw, crap! _No_ ," she whined, taking the phone from his hand and examining it as if she could will the damage away. "This thing is only like three months old and I don't even have insurance on it..."

"I am so sorry," he said sincerely, looking at her phone in mild horror. She looked up and then upon seeing the sad, slightly panicked pout on her face, he asked, "You don't have insurance for it?"

She shook her head and groaned, "No, because I was trying to be cheap. Frick me,"

He chuckled at her wording and then said, "Well, shit, I feel awful. I'm sorry. Look, let me make it up to you. Why don't I go ahead and call and make an appointment to get the screen fixed, and I'll foot the bill?"

Her jaw nearly hit the floor. She was still in shock that he was even there at all and that she was talking to him, and now he was offering to pay to fix her phone? _What_?! "Oh, you don't have to do that. It's fine, I'll... I'll manage, I'll figure something out."

He tilted his head to one side a little and chuckled, " _Summer_ , no. I insist."

"But it's gonna be expensive," she argued.

He shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I feel awful, and doing this will make me feel a lot better."

She fidgeted a bit on her feet and bit her lip, torn between taking him up on his incredibly kind offer and refusing like the idiot she was. He made the decision for her by plucking the phone from her grasp and smiling, then pulling out his own phone from his pocket to call the Apple Store. She opened her mouth to protest, but he hushed her right up by telling her, "You look gorgeous today, by the way."

Just that one sentence made her feel entirely too many things at once to be acceptable. Blushing yet again, she smiled back at him and then tried not to squirm when the other line picked up and he started talking and making the appointment. She was still in shock, and he was literally the last person that she had expected to run into that day or really any other day. It was a big city after all, but fate sure had humorous ways of working sometimes.

The last time that she had seen him had been a few months before that, when she had met up with Bucky at a bar to set up Aemilia's little birthday present of her own. It had been all business until the very end, when they'd each downed a few drinks and started flirting and making small talk, which led to him offering to walk her home and, once they'd arrived at her building, escorting her to her door. _That_ in turn led to Summer being gutsy and pulling him in for a whiskey-tinged kiss goodnight, and that, of course, inevitably led to both of them stumbling through her door with hands moving everywhere and lips moving frantically together. She joked on their way to her room that she'd still pay him for his _services_ if he wanted, and he told her that this one was "on the house" before pushing her against her bedroom door and sinking down to his knees in front of her. Just like their first night together, it had been quite a night to remember.

But she hadn't heard much from him since then, and that was mostly because neither one of them really knew how to interact in ways that didn't end with their clothes off and bodies tangled together in bed. She didn't feel like she knew him well enough to just text him a friendly _hey what's up_ , and for his part, Bucky had no idea how to even begin to pursue any kind of relationship with a woman that he'd first met as a client. He found her fascinating and absolutely incredible, but he very much doubted that she wanted anything to do with a man of his profession beyond what they had already done.

But now here they were again, brought together by coffee, a broken phone and one hell of a coincidence, and Summer watched in lingering disbelief as Bucky thanked the Apple employee for their help before hanging up his phone.

"Okay," he said, turning back to her and slipping his phone back into his pocket, "they're gonna look at your phone in a few hours. The guy said they'll probably be able to have it fixed by tomorrow morning, so you'll only have a day without your phone."

"Seriously, you don't have to do this," she said, trying one last ditch effort to refuse his generous help. "I've got some savings. I can pay for my own phone. I'm the one who dropped it."

"But I'm the one who caused you to drop it in the first place," he told her with a grin. "It's already done. I won't take no for an answer."

She sighed and muttered, "But it's not gonna be cheap and..."

He laughed a little bit. "Well, I've got a pretty well-paying job, so... I think I can afford to fix something I helped to break."

The mention of his _job_ made her cheeks heat up all over again, and that also happened to be the moment that she gave in and realized that there was no use in trying to refuse his help. He was just _impossible_ like that. "Okay, fine, but... then at least let me buy your coffee."

"Deal," he chuckled. Less than ten minutes later, they were both sitting in Summer's favorite little booth and having a chat over her closed laptop and their cups of deliciously opposite sorts of coffee. Hers was ice-cold and sweet, and his was extra hot and black, and somehow both choices seemed strangely fitting for each of their drinkers.

This was the first time that they had ever sat down and spoken with nothing relating to his work bringing them together, whether for her sake or for that of her friend, and while at first Summer had been worried that the conversation would be awkward and strained, it was nothing of the sort. In fact, she found that she could possibly talk to him all day long and not feel the slightest sense of unease.

"I really am sorry about the phone," he chuckled, both of them about halfway done with their drinks. "I'm useless before I've got caffeine in me and I honestly didn't see you."

"No, no, it was my fault," she insisted with a smile. "Apparently I'm one of those idiots who would end up getting hit by a bus because I'm too busy trying to text or read a stupid Facebook post to watch where I'm going."

"Well, I'd much rather you run into me and not a bus," he replied with a grin. "I gotta say, aside from the phone incident, I'm glad I ran into you today. Literally."

She giggled a little bit, mentally scolding herself for letting such a sound escape her lips but she just couldn't help it. "Really?"

He nodded and took another sip of his slightly less-scalding hot coffee. "Yeah. Why do you look so surprised?"

She smiled and shrugged. "I don't know, I guess I just... um... well, I'd assumed you'd forgotten about me a long time ago, so..."

He made a face and set down his coffee cup with slightly wider eyes. "Are you kidding me?"

She blushed and shrugged again, a bit more jerkily this time. "Well, what I really mean is... you probably aren't used to seeing your, um... previous clients outside of... a, um... work environment."

He laughed at her choice of words, finding her utterly adorable. "Well, to a degree, yeah, that's true. But you're hardly my typical client."

"Really? How?" She asked, curiosity piqued.

"Well, for one, you're younger than me," he chuckled.

"Oh," she replied, eyes getting a bit bigger. "So most of your ladies are older?"

"Most of them," he nodded. "I'm not talking bingo night at the senior's club old," he added, making Summer laugh and almost choke on her coffee, "but yeah, older. Not a lot of younger women have the money or the desire to pay for an escort."

"Yeah, that makes sense," she nodded. "So these older clients of yours... do you get a lot of, um... regulars? Or is it new ones every week? And please stop me if I'm being rude or you don't want to answer any of my ridiculous questions."

"No, no, it's fine," he smiled. "Yeah, I've got a couple of 'regulars', I guess. But I get a decent amount of new clients, too. I stay busy."

She couldn't imagine doing the sort of _job_ that he did, and her mind was suddenly swirling with questions that she just couldn't hold back any longer. "Okay, I've gotta ask. Because on the one hand, I bet a ton of guys would love to have your job, but then on the other, like... what do you do and how do you, um... perform... if you get a client that you're seriously not into?"

He laughed again. "Oh man. Well, yeah, I mean... not every situation is ideal, I'll admit, but... we all have our ways of getting through it. The thing is, I can always find at least one beautiful thing about any woman, no matter how young or old she is. And no matter what my preferences are, I'm a firm believer that every woman deserves to feel good and be treated well, so... I make it work."

 _God_ , was this man even real? "Wow. That's... that's good to hear. Really, I mean that. Not a lot of men would say what you just did."

He grinned. "Well, thanks."

She smiled back, and then her next question all but flew out of her mouth. "So do you only cater to women or do you also see men, too?"

"Oh, only women," he quickly answered. "Yeah, definitely only women."

"So you draw the line at dudes?" She chuckled.

"... More like I draw the line at what would be expected of me by the vast majority of potential male clients," Bucky replied, and Summer couldn't help but crack up laughing. He laughed with her, finding the sound utterly contagious. "Now, I _have_ been hired with other guys before, but... that comes with the territory in my line of work."

"Oh, so you mean like..."

"Threesomes, foursomes," he shrugged casually, as if he was discussing a recipe or something else equally mundane. When Summer's eyebrows shot up and all but disappeared into her hairline, Bucky grinned and then added, "Those are always fun."

She felt like she might spontaneously combust if he kept talking about these things. "They _are_?"

"Oh yeah. My first one was with this one lady in her lower 40's who had just finalized her divorce from her jerk of an ex-husband, and she used his first alimony payment to pay for two of us to spend a whole weekend with her in the Hamptons."

Summer's eyes just kept getting bigger. "Holy... crap." The wheels turned in her head for a moment before she suddenly half-gasped and asked, "Did you ever get, um... hired with Loki?"

"... Yeah, he was the other guy she hired," Bucky chuckled. "She had a girlfriend of hers who showed up the second night, so it was... yeah, it was interesting."

" _Oh my gosh_ ," Summer groaned, dropping her head down into her hands and letting out a strangled sound that made Bucky smile so widely that his cheeks hurt. Then her face flew up and she said, "So _that's_ why you were going on and on about what a good kisser he is! You have firsthand knowledge."

He shrugged rather than denied it. "Gotta do what it takes to make the client happy. _You_ know that."

Indeed she did. She smiled and looked down, avoiding the playfulness and slight flirtatiousness of his gaze, and after she took a few more sips of her drink, one more question came to mind. "You don't have to answer this if you don't want to, and if it's rude then just ignore me, but... can I ask how you got started doing this? Because you don't really seem like a... uh... like a... I guess what I mean is -"

"I understand," he said, still highly amused. "And yeah, no, I didn't wake up one day and say _man_ , _looks like a great day to start a successful new career as a whore_."

Her jaw hit the floor again. "For the record, I did _not_ use that word."

He laughed again. "Yeah, well, it's kind of what it is, though. Can't really deny that. But yeah, it started out as a way to get some extra cash to pay for my school and medical bills for a friend of mine who didn't have insurance at the time."

"Oh," she said quietly.

"My best friend, he's a lot healthier now but a couple years back it got pretty bad and he was in the hospital with all kinds of things wrong with him. I barely had money to eat and he had even less, and he needed all of these expensive medicines and treatments and I just had no idea what to do. They were gonna kick him out of the hospital and make him go to this run down clinic instead, so I had to do something. Loki - I've known him since I started college - told me he could throw some... business my way to help pay for the hospital bills, and since I had literally no other options, I did it. And by the time they released my friend, everything was paid for and we weren't even in debt to them for a single breathing treatment."

"Wow," Summer marveled. "That's... _wow_."

He nodded. "After that I figured I'd quit, but then I started thinking, you know... I could stop taking loans and pay my way through school, get me and my friend a better place to live, save up and have something to fall back on if he got sick again..."

"Right, makes sense," she nodded.

"So that's what I did," he finished with a slightly humorous grin. "I'm working on my Master's right now, and once I've got that and a job doing what I've actually gone to school for... _then_ I'll quit. For real this time."

"Oh wow. What's your degree in?"

"Linguistics," he replied. "I've also got a Bachelor's in Mathematics."

Her eyes shot wide open. "Ew. I mean, that's great and _wow holy crap_ you must be like extremely, disgustingly smart, but math - _ew_."

He laughed out loud, and the sound made her feel a lot warmer inside than she knew it should have. "It's not for everyone. I've just always liked numbers. And language. Thus the degrees," he grinned. "Problem is finding an actual job with either one of those."

"Really? I mean, I could see linguistics being a little bit limiting, but I bet you could do a lot with the math one."

He squinted and grimaced. "I _could_ , in theory, but you know the whole dilemma of most jobs wanting experience and therefore it being almost impossible to get your foot in the door anywhere. I've hit that wall more times than I can count."

"Oh yeah, I know exactly what you mean," Summer nodded. "With my writing, it took me a couple years of working two or three jobs at once before I finally found somebody willing to pay me decently to write."

"Your column?" he asked.

"No, Buzzfeed," she laughed, and then he laughed as well. "I know what you're thinking and yes, I know that makes me kind of a sellout, but it paid the bills and it was a stepping stone to my current job. And I still write for them occasionally for extra cash, so..."

"Well, I'm literally the last guy in New York who'd ever judge you for how you pay the bills," he said wryly. "Besides, Buzzfeed isn't that bad. It once told me that Matthew McConaughey was my soulmate, so how bad can it be?"

She laughed so heartily that she got a few looks from a handful of other patrons. He was so funny and she got on so incredibly easily with him that it was easy to forget how they'd first met and how awkward she'd felt only a matter of moments before. She felt like she could talk to him for hours, and his natural charm that radiated off of him was even better than the sexually charged persona he displayed on both nights that she'd spent with him. She wondered what the real him was like underneath it all, despite the fact that she knew she should probably not be wondering about such a thing.

"By the way," he told her after her giggles died down, "I looked up your column online awhile ago. It's good. You're good."

As was becoming her habit whilst speaking to him, her eyebrows shot up on her forehead. "Really? You read it?"

He nodded casually. "Yeah, I was curious. And you're _funny_. Like some of your topics are pretty heavy and you still managed to make me laugh a couple times. That takes some real talent."

She blushed and humbly thanked him, having not expected that at all. He simply smiled at her and then let a comfortable moment of silence pass before he asked, "So, any more questions for me? Might as well get them all out while you can."

She took a deep breath and looked at him in contemplation. "Hmm... okay, yeah, I've got one more. Have you ever had feelings for a client?"

Something about that question made him look down at the table and smile to himself before looking back up to her. "Well, I've never fallen in love with one or anything, but... yeah, there was one who really... stood out. Made me want to get to know her better."

"Really?" She smiled.

He nodded, looking at her in a way that was a bit different from before, but she couldn't pinpoint how. "Yeah."

"So did you?"

"Maybe," he mused. "I'm having coffee with her right now."

Oh. _Oh_.

Speechless, Summer stared at him as she let those words and the accompanying realization sink in. This was... unexpected, to say the very least, and she had absolutely no idea of how to react.

Bucky, meanwhile, was very possibly mistaking her silent shock as a negative reaction. He looked at her carefully, eyes flitting over her features and trying to gauge what she was thinking, and he had a moment of sheer panic where he was sure that he'd said the wrong thing and that she was about two seconds away from running for the hills. And he couldn't blame her if she did, because what woman would be interested in getting to know a guy like him in any significant, not purely sexual way?

"Um..." she finally squeaked out with a little smile, cheeks on fire, "I, uh... _wow_."

He immediately started backtracking. "I'm sorry if I - I probably shouldn't have said anything. Just... forget I said that."

She blinked in confusion, her own heart threatening to sink. "Why?"

"Just..." He shook his head and then laughed in a poor attempt to play it off. "I understand."

She was now thoroughly lost. "Understand what?"

"I probably overstepped just then," he muttered. "And I know that with what I do, it's... let's just forget I said anything and..."

"Oh gosh, wait a minute," she insisted, suddenly feeling horrible for how she had accidentally made him feel. "I was just speechless, that's all. I wasn't... I didn't think what you're thinking, trust me. I want to get to know you, too."

The look of surprise that dawned on his features was as adorable as it was saddening. Clearly, he didn't think that a man of his profession had any hope of a meaningful relationship, maybe even friendship, with a woman outside of his work. "... You do?"

"If I didn't, do you think I'd be sitting here for the last hour talking your ear off and asking you every annoying question under the sun?"

He chuckled, looking as relieved as he was surprised. "Yeah, fair enough. I just thought... I don't really know _what_ I thought, but... okay. That's a relief. I thought I'd just made a huge ass of myself."

"No, no," she assured him, "and anyway, I beat you to that punch already by breaking my phone like an idiot."

"Speaking of that," he said, checking the time on his very much non-broken phone, "we should probably start heading to the phone place soon. It'll be about time for your appointment by the time we get there."

"Okay," she nodded, grabbing her computer bag where it laid next to her on her seat so that she could load up her laptop and get ready to leave.

When he saw this, Bucky frowned and said, "I didn't keep you from getting work done, did I?"

"No," she quickly answered before pausing and smiling. "Well... kind of, but that's totally okay. I've got plenty of time before my deadline. Kinda. But I'll be fine. I write fast."

"Shit, I'm sorry," he said sheepishly, looking genuinely stricken at the thought of delaying her getting work done. "You should have said something."

"Oh no," she scoffed as she zipped up the computer bag. "Trust me, I regret nothing. I can write later."

"You sure? Deadlines can be a bitch," he remarked as she finished up gathering her things.

"Totally sure. I've got a week, so I'll be fine," she said as she stood up and grabbed her cup to throw it away. "Ready?"

He nodded and stood as well, smiling and telling her, "After you."

Feeling like her smile was stuck on her face like duct tape, Summer turned then and led the way, tossing her empty cup on the way out. Once they walked out of the coffee shop, Summer looked to the street to wave down a taxi, but a soft tug on her arm directed her to a small black car parked next to the sidewalk.

"Over here," Bucky said, pulling car keys from his pocket and guiding her towards the car.

"You have a car? _Here_? In NYC?" she asked, even more impressed than she had already been.

Sliding on a pair of dark sunglasses before he opened the passenger side door for her, he grinned and said, "Well, like I said, my job has its perks, and money is one of the big ones."

"I'll say," she chuckled as she slid into the car, which wasn't the newest model available but was clean and well-kept from what she could see of it. That was in stark contrast to the truck she'd owned back home in Virginia, which had been a veritable pig sty of empty fountain drink cups and fast food bags.

Once he had gotten behind the wheel, they were off and headed to get her phone fixed. Summer still wasn't sure how this had even happened in the first place, but she definitely wasn't complaining in the slightest. As broken phones went, this was by far the best case scenario that she could have imagined.

* * *

After dropping off her phone to be repaired and getting a loaner phone in the process, Summer found that she couldn't turn down Bucky's offer to grab lunch before he took her home. On their way to a place that he loved and that she'd never been to before, she texted Aemilia from her temporary phone and quickly filled her in on what had happened so far that day.

Aemilia's reply brought an instant smile to her face. _Are you serious? Omg and now you're having lunch with him? How utterly scandalous :D_

Smile plastered on her face, Summer quickly typed a reply and Bucky glanced over and took note of the silly grin she was wearing. "Something funny?"

"Oh, I'm just talking to my friend," Summer replied. "Same one I needed your help to, um... pick out a present for."

"Right," he grinned. "You know, she left a pretty big impression on Loki. It's been a month or two and he still can't stop talking about her."

"Really?" Summer all but gasped, eyes as wide as saucers.

"Oh yeah," Bucky nodded as he waited at a red light. "I mean, he doesn't go around broadcasting details or anything, but it was definitely one of the highlights of his career. And usually, you know, he's a tough guy to impress, but from what I can tell, she definitely got into his head a little bit."

"Oh _wow_ ," Summer grinned. "Well... don't tell him this, but... the feeling is definitely mutual. Like... yeah."

Bucky grinned at her and then chuckled as he turned back to the road. "You know, from what you told me about her and what I know about him, which is a lot, they'd seriously make a good match. His job aside, man... I think he'd really go for it if he had the chance."

Summer smiled almost excitedly, unable to help but feel a little giddy just at that very suggestion. "Well... I mean, I think they should at least talk and get to know each other. Because why not?"

"I agree," Bucky nodded, unable to think of a single reason why they shouldn't.

The question was _how_ to make such a thing happen. Surely if the two of them were so enamored with each other, all they'd need was a little push...

"Ooh! I have an idea!" Summer suddenly chirped. "Aemilia has this big show coming up with the Met - like _huge_ , she's playing the Queen of the Night and it's gonna be awesome and yeah, _whoa_ and I can't even pronounce the name of the opera - but anyway, so here's what I'm thinking. If you _wanted_ , you could come with me to see it, and you can just casually invite Loki along, too. I'll get the tickets and take care of everything. If you _want_. And if you think it's a good idea."

Having just arrived at the cafe and parked just outside of it, Bucky took off his sunglasses and turned to her with amusement etched plainly on his face. "Did you just ask me out on a date?"

Summer stared back at him with wide, suddenly nervous eyes, then stuttered, "I, uh... maybe?"

"Relax," he chuckled, turning off the car and taking the keys out of the ignition. "I'd love to go with you."

Summer smiled happily, feeling little flutters in her belly from the way that he looked at her before he opened his door and then got out to lope around and open her door. She took a deep breath, telling herself to keep steady and not lose her head, because after all... this was still a fairly complicated situation and there were quite a few things to consider.

But she didn't dwell on those potential issues as they sat down to have lunch together, and soon she was laughing and lost in conversation all over again. The more that she and Bucky talked the more they clicked almost effortlessly well together, and she didn't think that she'd ever gotten along with a man so well as she did with him. For someone who always stressed out about talking to people she didn't know well and not making a fool of herself, she felt shockingly comfortable with him and was incredibly disappointed when the meal came to an end and they had to leave.

By that point, she had spent nearly four hours with him and yet she still wasn't ready to part ways with him. He seemed to be on the same page, and when they left the little cafe and he drove her back to her place, he once again offered to walk her to her door even though it was broad daylight and his gesture was pretty darn unnecessary. But she accepted his offer while her belly continued to flutter almost madly, and then they were once again making the short trek up to her third floor apartment.

"So if you want," Bucky said as they walked up the stairs, "I can pick you up and take you to get your phone in the morning."

"Oh, you don't have to do that," she replied, turning as they took the last flight of stairs up. "Really, you don't. You've already helped me way more than you should have."

He shrugged like it was absolutely no issue and replied playfully, "Well, I got to spend almost the whole day with you in return, so I think I made off pretty well."

She blushed and looked away, biting her lip and trying to stop smiling before her face froze that way. Before she knew it, they were standing in front of her door, and she was holding her keys in her hand and looking up at him a bit shyly as she tried to figure out a way to say goodbye.

"So, um... I'll text you the details about the opera and everything," she told him, trying not to fidget too much. He, on the other hand, looked like the picture of casual calm, hands in his jean pockets and shoulders back as he nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, I look forward to it," he replied, watching her fingers play with her keys in an attempt to do _something_. Then he met her gaze again and told her, "I had a good time today."

"Me too," she smiled. "Aside from the broken phone and all."

"Yeah, you should be more careful," he teased. "Try not to run into any other guys. And definitely don't let them talk you into spending the whole day with them after."

"Why not?" She asked him playfully, unable to handle the irony of him perhaps not wanting her to entertain other men when he literally entertained women for a living. Then again, the situation was quite complicated, and she had a feeling it was only going to get even more complicated if they continued seeing each other more.

"Just don't," he murmured before leaning in close and nearly making her heart stop. Her breath hitched when he placed a small, almost innocent kiss on her cheek, and after he let it linger for a moment, he drew back just enough to look her in the eyes as her heart nearly pounded out of her chest.

She should let him go, she knew. They didn't need to do this again. She should stop and take a breath and try to just be friends with him and see where it led. That was the smart, logical thing to do.

Then again, she never claimed to make decisions based solely on logic.

She leaned up on her toes and kissed him softly on the lips, making his eyes close and body drift closer to hers with the small, sweet touch. He kissed her back just as softly, and then when she felt his hand on her cheek and fingers brush her hair back behind her ear, she kissed him again, and she let him gently tilt her head to the side so he could kiss her a little more deeply.

They kissed like that for a few moments, standing outside of her door and getting caught up in each other even though they had both been trying to resist the physical pull between them. But the problem was that Summer had never felt the way that she felt with Bucky with any other man _ever_ before, and for his part, Bucky hadn't felt so genuinely passionate about a woman since... well, it had been a _very_ long time.

Bucky broke the kiss first, turning his head and mumbling against her hair, "I swear I didn't walk you up here to try to come in. I'm trying to do this right but you're so fucking beautiful..."

He kissed her again then, as if he just couldn't help himself, and Summer tried not to gasp. "It's okay," she said in between breathless kisses, free hand now buried in his hair while the other still clutched her keys. "I was trying to control myself, too."

He groaned and kissed her again, tongue sliding perfectly and needy against her own and making the butterflies in her stomach rapidly multiply, and she suddenly forgot why she'd been trying to resist in the first place. She blindly reached behind her and tried to get her apartment key in the correct hole, but with him kissing the hell out of her and her barely able to focus on anything but the heat of his mouth and the slight press of his hips against hers, she didn't have a popsicle's chance in hell of unlocking the door. Once Bucky cracked an eye open and caught sight of what she was trying to do, he broke the kiss and covered her hand with his, easily helping her finally get the key in and get the door unlocked. Then as the door swung open, he asked her slightly gruffly, "You sure?"

She nodded and answered him further by pulling him down and kissing him again, dragging him inside. He kicked the door shut behind him, and she broke away and said, "Unless you've got another appointment somewhere."

He shook his head and quickly shed his jacket, letting it drop to the floor and then putting his hands back on her waist as he kissed her again. "It's my day off, actually."

She couldn't help but giggle against his lips and then yelp with surprise when his hands slid lower and grasped her hips so he could pick her up, carrying her the rest of the way to her bedroom. He kissed her the whole way there, groaning hungrily and then slamming her against the door long enough to hold her there and fumble around for the doorknob. Once he found it and opened the door, they stumbled inside and thus began a rather long and blissful - not to mention unexpected - afternoon in bed.

There were definitely a lot of questions still swirling through her mind - and his - and matters to be addressed and settled at some point, but it was far easier to leave all of that for another day and get caught up in each other. They didn't know what exactly they were starting and what it meant, but one thing was for sure - whatever it was, they both wanted it badly.

* * *

Later that night, long after Bucky had gone and Summer had thrown together a quick dinner for herself and fed the stray cat who liked to come to her window and meow until he got what he came for, she found herself wearing a cute little dress and drinking cocktails with her two best friends at their favorite bar. It wasn't their usual night for drinks, but, _well_ , both Aemilia and Natasha very much wanted to hear about Summer's big day with her... _friend_.

"So he paid to fix your phone _and_ paid for your lunch, and then he took you back to your place and went down on you until you literally begged him to stop?"

Summer choked on her drink and sputtered, " _Natasha_!"

"Oh, relax," Natasha rolled her green eyes, looking as elegant as ever in a black dress with her red hair straightened and tumbling down just over her shoulders. "Anyway, all I have to say is clearly this guy's clearly a keeper."

"I have to agree," Aemilia nodded, sipping a glass of merlot. "Honestly, I'm _dying_ to meet this man."

"Well," Summer said, trying to regain her composure, "you're going to get a chance to really soon, because I sort of... asked him to be my date to your show."

Aemilia's eyes widened and sparkled with surprise and a hint of glee. "You _did_? Oh my - who are you and what have you done with Summer?"

Laughing and blushing, Summer reminded herself to keep the part about also inviting Loki under wraps - that was meant to be a surprise for Aemilia - and replied, "I don't know! Literally I just don't even know why, but I'm so comfortable around him. I don't know what it is, but... you two know how I usually am around guys."

Natasha let out a burdened groan and Aemilia nodded sympathetically.

"I'm _nothing_ like that around him," Summer went on. "I've never asked out a guy in my _life_ , and yet I just... did it. Seriously, there's just something about him that makes me feel like I've known him forever. Which is really weird considering how I met him and... all of _that_."

"Speaking of that," Natasha said, "not to rain on your parade or anything so don't take it like that, but... are you sure that you're okay with dating someone of his profession?"

Summer hesitated only for a second before replying, "Well, I've thought about it, and... I'm just not gonna overthink it for now. I mean, it's only one date. I don't know where this is gonna go, so I'm just gonna figure it out as I go."

"I don't think that you should let what he does get in the way of a relationship if that's what you both want," Aemilia told her. "He told you that he's looking for other jobs and doesn't want to be an escort forever, so you know that it's temporary. You also know based on what he told you that he got into it for very pure-hearted reasons, so I think it would be silly to let it stop you from getting to know him better."

"Oh, I agree," Natasha nodded at Aemilia before looking back to Summer. "I just wanted to make sure that _you_ thought the same thing."

"Well," Summer sighed, "it's not like I _like_ the idea of him being with other women, but... I know it's his job and I'm gonna have to accept that if I'm gonna be dating him."

"And you're sure that you _can_ accept that?" Aemilia asked her, wanting to make sure as best as she could that her best friend knew what she may be possibly getting into.

"... I think that if he's half as amazing as he seems," Summer replied with a cute little smile on her face, " _yeah_. It'll be worth it for sure."

"Well, good for you," Aemilia said before taking another drink of her wine. "And I mean that, too. It's been far too long since I've seen you smile the way you have been all night."

Summer couldn't help but smile even wider and stifle a small squeal. "He's just... he's _so_ sweet and he's so _so_ hot. Like I can barely even stand it, and the way that he _kisses_ me and the way that he... y'know..."

"Oh, we _know_ ," Natasha grinned.

"He's just... _frick_ ," Summer said dreamily, resting her cheek on one hand and lazily twirling her finger along the rim of her glass. "I don't think I should be feeling as much I am for how little time I've spent around him."

"Enjoy it, darling," Aemilia urged her. "You don't have to second-guess yourself at every turn. Just have fun with him and feel what you feel. You deserve it."

Summer smiled warmly at Aemilia and then Natasha before telling them both, "Gosh, I love you both so much. Seriously, I don't know what I'd do without you two."

"Well," Natasha replied, "you never would have met him, that's for sure."

"That's true," Aemilia giggled. "Well, you might have met him one way or another, but certainly not in the way that you did."

"True," Summer nodded, blushing a little at the memory of that first night. "Well, I guess now I just get to wait and see what happens."

"That's the fun part," Natasha noted. Then she glanced at Aemilia and asked, "What about you? Ever run into your own little escort after your long night of sin awhile back?"

Aemilia laughed softly at her friend's terminology before shaking her head. "No, no, I haven't. He left me his number, actually, and told me that if I ever wanted to chat or get a drink with him to text him, but... I don't know."

"You don't want to see him again?" Summer asked, suddenly worried that maybe her secret plan was going to backfire and was highly premature. "But you still talk about him sometimes and say how he... uh... definitely made an impact."

"Oh, and he did," Aemilia replied, nearly shivering at the thought. "But I don't know... I suppose I've been so busy and distracted that I just sort of let myself put it off."

"But you _would_ like to see him again?" Summer asked her, trying not to appear too obvious. "... Hypothetically?"

"Well, if I were to run into him at a coffee shop as you did with Bucky today," Aemilia replied with a grin, "I certainly wouldn't mind it. He was a very intriguing man. And certainly very good at his job."

Natasha sighed and downed the rest of her drink, then said, "I'm about two drinks and one bad decision away from calling that number myself and getting my own escort to find out if these guys are really worth all the fuss."

"They are," Summer and Aemilia said in unison before glancing at each other and laughing.

"Seriously though," Summer added, "I'm starting to wonder where they find these guys."

"I've no idea," Aemilia replied, signaling for another round of drinks, "but I am certainly not complaining."

Summer grinned, having a feeling that Aemilia would continue to have zero complaints following her next encounter with Loki. If all went well, Summer planned on taking all the credit for it. "Me either."

She couldn't _wait_ for her date, and she couldn't wait to see Aemilia's reaction when she saw Loki again. It was gonna be one heck of a surprise.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: okay SOOOOO this chapter is hideously long lol BUT, there was really no other way for it to turn out. I had a lot of story to tell with this chapter, and since I tend to go on and on and on... and on... here we are, 23k words later :p**

 **This chapter is Loki/Aemilia-centric, but Bucky and Summer are quite present as well, so there's something for everyone. Also, there's some backstory for Loki and fun stuff all around, and I'm quite excited about it :D I do have to warn for some slashy content during a handful of flashbacks that are littered throughout around the middle of the chapter, and if slash isn't your thing and you don't want to read it, just skip the italicized portions :)**

 **In any case, thank you guys for reading and reviewing and following this little side story of mine :D I LOVE this story a lot and I'm going to keep continuing it, so keep following for MOAR :))) My huge and undyingly grateful thanks to midnightwings96 for helping motivate me to get this chapter done when I wanted to scream and rip my hair out, and also for cowriting the opera portion of this chapter and making it sound BEAUTIFUL. My huge thanks to her, and as always, I look forward to hearing from you guys! :D**

Loki knew exactly what his friend was up to, and he was perfectly all right with it.

On the surface, he had simply been invited to the opening night of a new opera at the Met by one of his closest friends and his sort-of girlfriend, but in reality, he knew exactly what they were luring him into. Or rather, _who_ he was being lured _towards_.

 _So_ , a text from Bucky read one afternoon, _I_ _ran into Summer yesterday and she invited me to the opera in a couple weeks. Said she's got an extra ticket if you wanted to come along too._

Having been in the middle of a rather necessary shopping trip, Loki looked away from the collection of silk neckties he'd been eyeing and replied, _You do realize that dating the clientele is generally frowned upon_?

 _Well it's not like Summer was the average client_ , Bucky replied a few moments later, after Loki had snatched up a new black tie because one could never have too many of those. Then before he could answer, Bucky sent another text. _So you want to come or not_?

 _What opera_? Loki asked, moving on in the store and doing more window shopping than anything. The store that he was in wasn't quite fine enough for his tastes, and after awhile, he decided to put the tie back upon having second thoughts. He was simply far too picky for his own good, or at least that was what Bucky told him all the time.

It was as he was exiting the store that Bucky replied with, _Die Zauberflöte. You like opera, right?_

Loki chuckled as he began to walk along the sidewalk, passing other shops and pedestrians as he typed, _I do, but I have a sneaking suspicion as to why your lovely lady thought to invite me_.

A moment later, after passing through a crosswalk and deciding to go ahead and start making his way to the little cafe that he was meeting his mother at for lunch soon, Loki's phone rang. He put it to his ear and jokingly answered, "Yes, darling."

"She's not _my lady_ ," Bucky said as a way of greeting. "Jesus, man."

"You're the one who keeps supposedly running into her," Loki noted with great amusement. "How did it happen this time?"

"Complete coincidence," Bucky answered honestly.

"And did you or did you not leave her completely satisfied free of charge yet again?" Loki asked, ignoring the way that a passing old lady stared at him after he spoke those words.

"Well if I had charged her, that would have made me the biggest dickhead in the city, so no, I didn't," Bucky replied. "If anything, she should have charged _me_ 'cause... just... _damn_. Now stop trying to change the subject. If you don't want the ticket, Steve's getting it."

Loki furrowed his brows and asked, "Does he even like the opera?"

"Of course he likes the opera," Bucky replied, surely rolling his eyes. "He's _Steve_. I'm the one who's gonna be lost."

Loki smirked. "Ah, the things we do for the women who bewitch us."

"First of all," Bucky huffed, "it's not like I'm opposed to the opera, I've just never gone before, and second, I am not fucking _bewitched_."

"I'm afraid I have to call bullshit," Loki replied almost gleefully. "Now explain to me your remark about how you should have been the one paying her. I'm intrigued."

"Of course you are, fucking pervert," Bucky scoffed. "I'm not telling you anything."

Now it was Loki's turn to scoff. "Oh please. I've no doubt you already told Steve, so out with it."

"Of course I did, but that's 'cause it's so fun watching him turn beet red and freak out," Bucky replied. "You're not dragging it out of me."

Loki gave a burdened sigh as he continued walking. "Well, let's see... the first time was all business, so naturally the focus was likely entirely on her and her pleasure. The second time you were both slightly intoxicated, so I'm going to guess... a bit more sloppy and rushed but likely still tilted in her favor, especially since you're such a whore for having your face buried in a woman's -"

"Are you seriously talking about this shit while you're walking down the street?" Bucky interrupted, making Loki chuckle.

"Irrelevant. So anyway... I believe that I can logically assume that this third time, she turned the focus on _you_ and that is why you're so reluctant to speak of it and also why you feel indebted to her."

"I don't feel _indebted_ ," Bucky groaned. "Just let it go, man."

"Have we met?" Loki retorted, and Bucky sighed.

"Unfortunately. So, opera - yes or no?"

"One condition," Loki said, ever the annoying little shit. "Tell me if I'm right or not."

After making a strangled sound of unbearable irritation, Bucky blurted out, "Fine, you want details? Best fucking blowjob of my life and I'm still not over it. That's all I'm saying because I respect her too much to say anything else. Happy?"

All but cackling, Loki grinned in self-satisfaction and said, "I _knew_ it. And ooh, you _respect_ her?"

"Yeah, like I respect all women."

"Yes, but do I sense a bit of an attachment on your part?" Loki teased, more than able to tell that his friend was smitten with the lady. He'd been able to tell _that_ ever since Bucky had showed up to lunch the day after his first night with Summer grinning like a moron and actually reluctant to share details for once their friendship.

"I'm gonna go give Steve the ticket in about five seconds if you don't answer me."

Loki rolled his eyes. " _Fine_. Of course I'll go."

" _Thank you,_ " Bucky said with obvious exaggeration.

"You're welcome," Loki chuckled. "Now, might I ask why you are so insistent on having me tag along and be the third wheel on your date at the opera?"

"Oh my God," Bucky groaned, "it's not a... even if it is, it's... look, she offered and -"

"My, my, you're stuttering," Loki noted with one arched brow. "I've only heard you stutter twice before, and neither of those times are appropriate for me to mention in a public place."

I'm gonna kill you. And anyway, you know damn well why Summer invited you. You're too smart to get away with playing dumb."

It was exactly as Loki had suspected. Having arrived at his destination, Loki lingered just outside of the door and said, "Well, I'm off to lunch with my mother now, so I'll talk to you later."

"Oh, convenient," Bucky noted. "All right. Tell her I said hi."

"I will. I'll also tell her all about the new lady in your life."

"She's not - dammit, Loki, I'm gonna -"

Loki laughed as he hung up the phone, sliding it into his pocket and then pushing the door open. Though he was an expert at playing it cool on the outside and letting nothing show that he didn't wish others to see, he would be lying if he said that he didn't feel a flicker of excitement deep down inside at the prospect of seeing Aemilia again. In fact, the more that it sunk in that he was going to get to see her perform and experience her talent firsthand, the more excited and intrigued that he became.

She'd made quite the impression upon him, the little singer, and he had been silently hoping that their paths would cross again. Under normal circumstances, he would have pursued her himself without a second thought, but... life being what it was, he didn't think that the wisest course of action.

But maybe he had thought wrong. Then again, maybe not. Either way, there was no harm in attending such an event and seeing for himself why she was as successful as she was.

One thing was for sure. He _definitely_ needed a new suit.

* * *

Loki had been attending the opera since he was a child, each time with his mother who found him to be far better company for such a thing rather than her older, slightly less cultured son and even her husband. Even from those very early years, she and Loki had shared a very close bond and similar interests that had made them as close as a mother and son could be, and thus Loki's memories of the opera were all uniformly pleasant and fond.

Once the night arrived and he met his friend and his definitely _not_ girlfriend outside of the Lincoln Center, he knew that this experience was going to be far different from his previous ones. For one thing, he had never attended such a show with a very giggly and easily excitable woman and a man who looked at her like she outshone every star in the sky when she smiled, but apparently there was a first time for everything.

He would have found them unbearably annoying if they weren't so damn adorable.

"This is so exciting!" Summer gushed, dressed in a gorgeous and sparkling black silk gown that clung to her in ways that definitely made her stand out amid a sea of other women in attendance. She led both Bucky and Loki to their correct seats, and Loki watched Bucky from the corner of his eye as he ran his eyes up and down the brunette's admittedly stellar body. Bucky caught Loki watching and then looked at him a bit sheepishly, grinning and blushing a little as Loki rolled his eyes. Usually Bucky was a lot more subtle than that, but apparently this girl truly had a rather powerful effect on him.

"Here we go!" she said next, gesturing to three seats that were clear in the row that they had just arrived behind. She turned and smiled at both of them, then asked, "Who wants to sit where?"

Loki was quick to reply, "Shall I sit in the middle to ensure that you two crazy kids keep your hands to yourselves throughout the show?"

Summer turned a rather bright shade of pink from that, but then Bucky surprised her by scoffing and telling Loki, "As if I wouldn't just reach past you."

"True," Loki sighed, glancing at Summer and chuckling at her wide eyes and deepening blush. She _was_ rather cute. "I suggest the lady sits in the middle. That way we form a protective barrier around her and prevent any unwanted attention from other men in attendance."

She looked back and forth from them both in sheer confusion. "Uh... why would I get... that?"

"Because," Bucky said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "you're drop dead fucking gorgeous and the sexiest thing in the whole audience."

As she gaped, blushed, and stammered at that, Loki almost choked on a hearty laugh trying to escape his mouth. Apparently, Bucky wasn't even trying to be subtle with this woman. This was _hilarious_.

"Well, I... I disagree," she said, gesturing to both Loki and Bucky. "You guys are... uh... I mean, you're both pretty much sex in human form, so." She then paused and cringed. "I'm sorry. I have issues thinking before I speak."

"Quite all right, dear," Loki assured her. "Besides, you're entirely correct."

That made her laugh and seemingly relax a bit, but really, the truth was the truth. Bucky had opted for an all-black suit that he'd bought specifically for that night, and Summer had been looking at it all night like it was edible and she had plans to devour him while still wearing it. Loki, meanwhile, was in a slightly different sort of suit consisting of black pants, a grey jacket, white shirt and black tie, all of it absolutely perfectly fitted and tailored to him flawlessly. His black hair was brushed back from his face and a little curled at the ends, and he full well how good he looked. They all three looked their very best, but neither Bucky nor Summer were the one that Loki had specifically dressed up for.

After finally taking their seats, Summer indeed ended up in the middle with Loki and Bucky sitting on either side of her. As soon as they were all settled in, she giggled softly and said, "Oh man, I'm in a really hot sandwich right now."

Bucky merely laughed, but Loki couldn't resist but to say, "Well, darling, you're not the first to find yourself in such a position."

Knowing exactly what he was hinting at, Summer's eyes flew to him and that blush reappeared on her cheeks. "Are you referring to what I think you're referring to?"

"Of course," he grinned, glancing at Bucky. "Have you told her any of the stories yet?"

"Not in detail," Bucky replied, "and I'm definitely not going to right now."

"Of course not," Loki nodded. Then he looked at Summer and added, "You should ask him about New Year's Eve of 2014 later on. It's _quite_ the story."

Bucky groaned while Summer's eyes got even bigger and she grinned. "Well, he mentioned the Hamptons, so..."

Loki scoffed. "That was child's play compared to New Year's. Make him tell you, and don't let him skimp on the details. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. You seem like a curious little thing."

"Gonna kill you," Bucky half-sang, glaring at Loki over Summer's head.

"You're awesome," Summer told Loki over a sudden rush of giggles, and he simply smiled before shrugging with a possibly - no, definitely - false sense of humility.

"Well, what can I say," he said. "I am burdened with glorious purpose."

Bucky nearly choked on the very air he was breathing. "And what purpose is that? Wait, don't tell me. I don't want to know."

"You know," Loki said, leaning closer to Summer and speaking to her conspiratorially, "as much as he acts like he can't stand me or finds me unbearably ridiculous, he's actually quite fond of me. He just rarely acknowledges it."

"Aw, that's not very nice," Summer said, still smiling. She then turned to Bucky and said, "Is that true?"

"Yes, darling, is that true?" Loki asked teasingly, thoroughly enjoying the way that Bucky glared at him.

"Actually, no it's not true," Bucky replied. "Something you'll find about Loki is he tends to stretch the truth sometimes."

Summer then turned back to Loki, still grinning and finding all of this thoroughly amusing, and Loki scoffed, "I do not _stretch_ the truth. The only stretching I do is in the morning before my runs _which_ , by the way, _James_ , you have not accompanied me on for at least a month."

"That's because Steve's been training extra at the gym and I've been tagging along," Bucky shrugged.

Loki waved him off dismissively. "Ah, yes, along comes Steve and to the backburner I go. How will my fragile heart continue to take such beatings?"

Summer laughed like she was in the middle of a hilarious sitcom. These guys were totally an old married couple, and she loved it.

"See?" Bucky gestured to Loki. "Stretching the truth."

No, no," Loki told Summer. "It's very true. If you're serious about dating him, you may often find yourself competing with a certain blond-haired blue-eyed Steve Rogers for his attention."

Summer raised an eyebrow while Bucky rolled his eyes. "Oh?"

Loki nodded. "Indeed. There's a level of devotion between those two that I've only seen before in married couples. In fact, I had my suspicions at first that there was possibly more than friendship at play, but I was wrong. Bucky's actually incredibly straight."

Bucky looked as if he was about to give himself a stroke from rolling his eyes so hard, but Summer was still smiling like an idiot and giggling at everything Loki had to say. Loki grinned back at her before glancing at Bucky and adding casually, "Well, that is, unless _I'm_ involved."

Summer squeaked and covered her mouth with her hand to hide both her blush and a new wave of giggles, and Bucky glared at Loki while shaking his head. "You're trying to make this the first date from hell, aren't you?"

"Oh please," Loki retorted, gesturing to Summer. "I'm only making you seem even more desirable in her eyes." Then he looked at Summer and said, "Just wait until he tells you about that New Years' story. If you're blushing now, you may be in danger of spontaneously combusting once he tells you."

"Holy frick," Summer gaped, looking back and forth between both men. "What _happened_?"

Bucky seemed to falter and stammer slightly before Loki replied, "Later, darling. And if he won't tell you, I will."

"Oh no, you're not," Bucky warned him. "You'd make it sound like some kind of romance novel shit."

"Well, forgive me for being eloquent," Loki rolled his eyes.

"No, see, there's eloquent and then there's _ah yes, and then I slowly, sensually dragged my tongue along his_ -"

After laughing at Bucky's rather poor attempt at a British accent, Loki interrupted him to say, "Careful, Bucky, there's children present not too far away."

"Wait," Summer said with bulging eyes, "whose tongue was _where_ and on _who_?"

"He'll tell you later," Loki told her, and Summer then turned to Bucky and made a low whining noise like she may simply expire on the spot.

After a bit more easy and humorous banter between the three, it was finally time for the show to begin. As the lights dropped low and a hush fell over the entire sprawling audience, Loki focused on the stage and, for the next few hours, his focus remained there and there alone.

The show itself was as wonderful and well-executed as he had been sure that it would be, but one of its stars shone especially bright in his eyes. Aemilia, whom he had only spent one night with some months ago and hadn't seen since then, captured his full and complete attention from the moment that she stepped on to the stage. Having seen _Die Zauberflöte_ previously, he was well aware of what a lofty role the Queen of the Night was. It consisted of the most technically intimidating music available, and required an unbelievable sense of strength and darkness, and he couldn't wait to see if she could pull it off. When she first entered the stage, Loki's eyes visibly widened.

She appeared amongst a dark red haze of fog, an ethereal sillhouette draped in black, weightless, billowing fabric. She was painted white as death, with dark, striking eyes, lips red as blood, and her wildly curled, dark auburn hair looking almost fiery against the halo of black around her. Her dress was seemingly neverending layers of black, luminescent silk that dripped off her exquisite form, and Loki found himself nearly breathless at her visage.

But even more captivating than her appearance and her beauty was her voice. He had wondered what it sounded like ever since she had mentioned her profession to him, but the moment her mouth opened to release the first note, his expectations were completely obliterated. He couldn't have imagined just how beautiful it truly was. Her voice, while effortlessly light and energized throughout every sky high note, held a power and body that cut through the room like a knife.

For the duration of the entire show, Loki was transfixed. Her grace, her talent, the confidence and power that she exuded on that stage... it was absolutely intoxicating. At the conclusion of the Queen's infamous area, he and the entire audience were nearly frozen in their seats in awe. She managed to convey an intensely deep wealth of emotion within the character, but at the same time harnessed such an intense darkness and power that Loki was left breathless. He could truly say without even a hint of a lie or exaggeration that he had never seen or met a woman like her before in his life.

Summer, so bubbly and energetic before the show began, was completely silent the entire time, watching with a mixture of pure pride and awe on her face. Bucky, meanwhile, took in his first-ever opera equally silently and was no less wowed than his two companions were. To his own surprise, he was able to follow along and understand what was going on, and he had to admit that it was one hell of a show and that Aemilia was... _stunningly_ gifted. He had yet to officially meet her, but he could certainly understand why Loki was so enraptured with her.

Eventually, the show was over and the audience showered the cast with a standing ovation that went on for what seemed like ages. During her curtain call, Aemilia returned to the stage, still fully adorned in that glorious dress. The crowd absolutely *roared* at her appearance, and she smiled so brightly and humbly that it nearly brought a tear to Summer's eye. Loki felt as if he was in something of a daze. He was now intrigued even more than he had been before, and he desperately wanted to see Aemilia again and properly tell her exactly how incredible and amazing she truly was

Lucky for him, he got the chance to do just that at the party that Summer invited both him and Bucky to after the show was over. Little did he know, his night was far from over.

* * *

"Can I ask you a question?" Loki quietly asked Bucky as they strolled into the hotel ballroom that the after-party was happening at. Bucky was flanked by Loki and Summer, the latter of which was holding his hand as they walked and looking rather pleased about it.

"What?" Bucky asked.

"How do I look?" Loki asked with a humorous grin. He already knew the answer, but this was one of those rare occasions where he thought it best to ask before assuming he was the embodiment of perfection (which, of course, he was).

Bucky replied giving a short sigh, looking Loki over briefly and then telling him matter-of-factly, "I'd fuck you."

Loki laughed while Summer's head whipped around and she asked, "What'd I just hear?"

"The truth," Loki grinned. "Such a rare moment of honesty."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that," Bucky replied as Summer simply looked at the two of them like they were going to be the literal death of her. They probably _were_.

Summer was then distracted by the sight of her best friend's auburn head popping up in the crowd across the room, surrounded by her fellow singers and laughing with a glass of champagne in her hand. "Oh, there she is!" Summer exclaimed happily before dragging Bucky in the correct direction, Loki following and quickly spotting Aemilia himself.

She looked _gorgeous_ , her red hair down and relaxed, cascading past her shoulders and reaching her waist. She was wearing a dark green dress, short but not _too_ short and hugging her body elegantly while providing a lovely contrast with her hair. Most alluring of all, however, was the happiness and _joy_ on her face, and Loki used the moments walking her way to admire her without her knowledge. She was in her element following a _very_ successful, beautiful night, and it showed on her face just how high she was.

She saw Summer coming first, her smile nearly doubling in size at the sight of her, and then she noticed Bucky next to her. Loki watched then as her eyes flitted next to him and widened slightly in surprise before Summer grabbed her and enveloped her in a big, happy hug.

"Oh my gosh," Summer gushed, squeezing her friend, "I don't even know what to say! That was like seriously the best thing I've ever seen. You outdid everything you've ever done before. I _cried_. Seriously, I was bawling. I am so, so proud of you, words can't even say."

Aemilia smiled and giggled as she pulled away, replying, "Oh my goodness, thank you! I can't even describe what it felt like. I'm still shaking - in a good way." She then looked up and glanced at the two men behind Summer, smiling at them both as Summer suddenly remembered that the guys were in fact still present.

"Oh, crap, I'm being rude," she giggled, gesturing to the man at her right. "This is Bucky, who I can't believe you're only just now meeting."

"Me either," Bucky chuckled, reaching out and giving Aemilia a friendly handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, finally. And you were amazing tonight. I'm still blown away."

"Oh, thank you," Aemilia smiled, "and really, the pleasure is mine. I've heard so much about you, I feel as if I sort of know you a bit already."

"You know," Bucky laughed softly, "I kinda feel the same way."

Aemilia chuckled back, and then her eyes travelled back to Loki, standing there before her and patiently waiting for her to turn her attention to him. Once she did, she smiled a bit more coyly than she had before and said, "Hello, Loki. didn't know that you would be attending tonight."

"You have your lovely little friend here to thank for that," Loki replied, head inclining briefly towards Summer, who smiled and blushed slightly in response. Then he stepped forward and reached his hand towards Aemilia's, and with their eyes locked, she placed her hand in his and then held her breath as he raised it up for a kiss. "You were absolutely incredible tonight. I expected you to be wonderful but you exceeded all of my expectations and shattered them."

Then he kissed the back of her hand, maintaining that maddening eye contact all the while, and Aemilia's cheeks flushed the prettiest shade of pink that Loki had ever seen. His lips were soft and sweet on her skin, and that simple little touch brought back flashes of memories that made Aemilia suddenly feel as if there were flames crawling within her veins.

"Thank you," she finally managed to murmur as he slowly lowered her hand, reluctantly releasing it. "I'm glad you came."

"So am I," he replied, and for a moment they simply stood there like that, eyeing one another and briefly feeling as if everyone else in the room had momentarily disappeared.

At least until Summer leaned over towards Bucky to whisper something to him about how bad Loki and Aemilia obviously had it for each other. She managed to step on the bottom of her dress in the process and then tripped and fall against him, letting out an embarrassed squeak as he caught her and kept her from doing anything worse, like falling _more_ or accidentally yanking her dress down as it laid trapped beneath her shoe. Both Loki and Aemilia looked their way when it happened, and Summer quickly righted herself with a thankful smile at Bucky and then a quiet, "I'm good, sorry. Tripped while basically standing still, my specialty."

Aemilia laughed softly, and Loki did as well before telling Bucky, "You're supposed to wait until _later_ to sweep her off of her feet."

"Yeah, sorry," Bucky shrugged, sliding an arm around Summer's waist and making her face redden as she quickly looked at Aemilia and grinned. "Got ahead of myself, I guess."

"Try _not_ to do that later," Loki replied, and that made Summer and Bucky both giggle. Then he looked back to Aemilia, and her own grin widened when he shot her a wink.

Truthfully, it felt as if no time had passed at all and that their night together had only just happened. Loki wasn't sure how he could feel like that with a woman that he honestly barely knew, but he surely wasn't going to question it.

Then he suddenly remembered something that he couldn't believe he'd forgotten.

"Ah, I nearly forgot," Loki said, unbuttoning his suit jacket so that he could reach inside to the pocket where he had stashed a single rose that he'd grabbed from a street vendor on the way to the hotel. It was a deep red that almost perfectly matched the color of her hair, and as he presented it to her, her eyes widened in slight surprise and her plump lips stretched in a small, pretty smile. As her fingers reached out to take the rose, he said, "For you, Little One."

The minute those words left his lips, her eyes flew up to his and he knew exactly what she was thinking at his mention of the little pet name that he'd given her during their previous encounter. She took the rose from him then and replied softly, "Thank you."

Bucky, eyeing the two of them and knowing that they surely had some... _catching up_ to do, looked at Summer and asked, "Do you like dancing?"

"No," she replied cheerfully, "not really, but I think we should definitely go dance for a little while."

He grinned back at her. "Perfect." Then he glanced at Loki and Aemilia and said, "We'll catch up with you guys later. It was a pleasure to meet you finally."

"Oh, you as well," Aemilia smiled back sweetly. "Thank you so much for coming."

A few more smiles and an excited glance from Summer later, Aemilia and Loki were alone again. Or at least as alone as they could be in a ballroom surrounded by countless people.

"Would you like a drink?" Aemilia asked, gesturing across the room. "The bar is just over there."

"Absolutely," Loki grinned. "Lead the way, my lady."

She smiled and then took the arm that he offered, linking hers within it as they headed towards the bar. "You know," she said as they walked, "I really am surprised to see you again."

"Why is that?" Loki asked curiously, looking down at her and again admiring her beauty. She truly was a thing to behold.

She shrugged and smiled, "I suppose that I thought you'd forgotten about me."

He chuckled at that, shaking his head and telling her, "Let me assure you, darling, you are not a woman that any man could forget."

Aemilia looked up at him, narrowing her eyes playfully. "Sometimes it's hard for me to tell when you're being honest and when you're smooth-talking me."

"I've yet to be dishonest with you in the least," Loki replied, "and I don't intend to start."

"Good," she grinned slightly. "Well, then in that case... how have you been?"

Loki couldn't help but smile as they approached the bar together. He _definitely_ owed Bucky fairly big time for inviting him to the opera and making this night possible in the first place.

* * *

Aemilia's night flew by in a happy, blissful haze. She was riding what was inarguably the most intense high of her life thus far, feeling like she was on top of the world and absolutely in the prime of her life and living what she'd one day look back on as the best days of her life.

She had worked so hard to get where she was, and she was _definitely_ in the mood to celebrate. But the party couldn't last forever, even when she wished it would, and before she knew it, she was hailing a cab and telling the driver to take her home. Summer did the same thing, taking her own cab in the opposite direction back to her own place, but neither woman went back home alone. Bucky, who in Aemilia's humble opinion looked _head over heels_ for Summer, went back home with her, and as for Aemilia... she had a certain English gentleman sharing the back of her own taxi.

The chemistry between them was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Back at the party, they had talked and danced and toyed with each other with their looks and their words until they were both dying to get closer, but to her surprise, he behaved in the cab. He didn't try to touch her or seduce her there like she half expected him to, and that made her all the more infatuated with him. He was as respectful as he was maddeningly flirtatious and almost effortlessly seductive, and that made for a dangerously appealing combination.

When they arrived at her apartment uptown, Loki insisted on paying their fare and then escorted her up to her door. She invited him in without a word, tossing him a look over her shoulder and then opening the door and leaving it ajar for him to walk through after her. She found the bit of pleasant surprise on his face to be utterly adorable.

They did not, however, immediately start kissing and tearing each other's clothes off, although neither would have objected to such a thing and they both knew that was exactly where the night would eventually lead. Instead, they ended up on her couch, both pairs of their shoes kicked off and glasses of her Irish whiskey in hand as they laughed and began simply _talking_.

"He is adorable," Aemilia remarked of Bucky after he and Summer were one of the first topics to come up. "They _really_ like each other. You can tell just by looking at them."

"Indeed," Loki agreed. "He's quite smitten. He won't admit it, but I've known him long enough to know these things about him before he does."

"I'm sure," Aemilia chuckled, sipping her drink. Loki watched her as she swallowed the smooth, strong liquid, and she couldn't help but enjoy the way that she felt when he looked at her like that. "How long have you known him?"

"Since college," Loki replied. "He was my roommate freshman year."

"Ah," she nodded, leaning her head on her free hand. "So you really do know him very well. Tell me, can I trust him not to break my best friend's heart?"

"I can honestly say that you can, as much as you can trust anyone," Loki replied sincerely. "He would never _willingly_ hurt anyone. And he's more taken with Summer than any other woman in years. Not since one girl in his sophomore year, and that ended terribly."

Aemilia sighed and said, "College romances. Nothing crashes and burns quite like those."

"Most of them, yes," Loki nodded. "Not all."

"Mine certainly did," Aemilia sighed, thinking back to those chaotic, exhausting years. "I remember graduating primary school and thinking everything was going to be easier now that I was all grown up and going off to college." She laughed at such a notion and shook her head. "I was rather innocent in those days."

"We all were," Loki assured her with a small smile. "But surely not all of your experiences were bad."

"No, not all of them," she nodded. "I had one boyfriend, Christopher. He was incredibly sweet. We didn't last very long, but he treated me _very_ well and made me feel good about myself. Which was more than I can say for most of the men I've dated. He's married now with three kids," she chuckled.

"Oh my," Loki replied, brows slightly raised.

"Bizarre how quickly life goes by," she sighed, running a few fingers through her hair, keeping it back behind her shoulders. "What about you?"

"Me?" he grinned.

"Yes, you," she giggled back. "I'm trying to imagine what your past relationships might have been like and I have to admit, I'm stumped."

"Well," he chuckled gamely, "let's see... I had my first girlfriend at fourteen. My brother stole her from me and took her to the spring dance at school."

Aemilia gave an outraged gasp. " _No_! How mean of him."

Loki merely shrugged and said, "Oh, I had my revenge in time. I slept with his girlfriend, whom he took to prom, while he was out one night. And I did it in his bed."

Aemilia's eyes widened rather dramatically. "You did _what_?"

Loki chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. "We were both very petty back then. We're not like that anymore."

"Thank God," Aemilia chuckled. "That sounds terrible. What about college you? What were you like?"

Loki grinned and looked up towards the ceiling as he wound back the clock in his head and began reminiscing on those old days. "Well, college me was very curious and... adventurous. Focused. I did very well in my studies, but I made sure to make plenty of time for your typical college debauchery."

"Of course," Aemilia chuckled. "I bet all the girls loved you."

Loki smiled and laughed quietly before shrugging, "Well, I certainly never wanted for company."

"Did you date a lot or did you just... hook up?" Aemilia asked, full of curiosity and trying to paint a picture in her mind of the man before her, wanting to know more of his history and what had made him _him_.

"Both," Loki admitted. "But to be honest, most of the relationships I had back then were rather casual. Except for one. One was quite serious."

"Oh, do tell," Aemilia nudged him. "I must know about this girl. She must have been _something_ if she managed to tame you for a little while."

Loki then laughed and shook his head. "Actually, yes, but... _his_ name was Thomas."

Sheer surprise caused Aemilia's eyes to widen yet again and her hand drop from where it had been supporting her head. "Oh! _Really_?"

"Really," Loki grinned wider, thoroughly enjoying her reaction. She was blushing, and he found that _adorable_.

"Well, you are just... full of surprises," she noted, her smile seemingly stuck on her face.

He simply shrugged and replied, "It's the way I've always been. But he was my first real boyfriend. And I was his first as well."

"...Now I really must know more," Aemilia admitted, making Loki laugh again.

"Well," he sighed, thinking back, "he was a Classics major. Very smart, one of the nicest people you would ever meet _anywhere_ , just... an absolute joy to be around. Charming, handsome. He and I actually share a great resemblance to each other, it's a bit eerie."

"... He _looked_ like you?" Aemilia asked, unsure if she could handle such a concept. The idea of Loki kissing and touching a man was intriguing and fascinating enough all on its own.

"Like me but with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a much better tan," Loki chuckled. Then, recalling the day that he had met the man, he began to tell a story. "I met him at a party. I was there with Bucky and a few other friends, and Bucky actually noticed him first."

* * *

 _In the midst of one of many parties that he attended in college at the behest of his rather persuasive friend, Bucky's eyes scanned the room rather aimlessly before landing on one man in particular. He then choked a little bit on the beer he was drinking, coughed, and then smacked the man standing at his left._

 _"What?" Loki hissed, having almost slightly spilled his own drink thanks to the unexpected smack._

 _"That guy over there, the one with the girl with the really big... eyes," Bucky said, low enough for only them to hear but loud enough to be heard over the music. "He looks like your clone and its freaking me out."_

 _"I highly doubt this," Loki said, trying to follow Bucky's gaze but seeing nobody who even faintly resembled him. "Where is this man?"_

 _"Right there," Bucky said, gesturing as much as he could without being obvious. "Next to the girl with the giant rack."_

 _That was when Loki finally spotted the elusive man, who was indeed flanked by a rather busty, short woman wearing glasses. They were talking to a few others and laughing with them, and even from afar, Loki could see what was freaking Bucky out so much. This guy was tall, impressively so, and though Loki could hardly discern specific features from where he stood, the man's highly defined cheekbones were very visible and indeed eerily similar to those of Loki himself. How odd._

 _"Who we scoping out?" asked the man who was throwing the party, an engineering student by the name of Tony Stark who was as brilliant as he was rich. He slid in next to Loki and pushed his red-tinted glasses down the bridge of his nose, looking around and adding, "Blonde chick over there? Brunette in the bikini? Shirtless guy with the backwards cap?"_

 _"No," Bucky answered for Loki, "that guy over there who was possibly separated from Loki at birth."_

 _Tony narrowed his eyes, located said potential long lost twin, and then said, "Oh, him! That's Thomas. He's a Classics major, super sweet kid. You guys haven't met?"_

 _Loki shook his head. The longer he stared at the man, the more that he saw the resemblance, and it truly was bizarre. "No, I haven't. You should introduce us."_

 _"Oh I will, but fair warning because I know you," Tony said casually. "He's got a girlfriend - that girl with the big huge... assets, and as far as I can tell, he's straight as an arrow, pal."_

 _"Why must you always assume I'm only after one thing?" Loki asked with exasperation, rolling his eyes. Tony and Bucky, however, shared a knowing, wordless look._

 _"No reason at all," Tony said, patting his back. "C'mon, let's go meet Tommy-boy."_

 _And that annoying little nickname was exactly what Tony referred to the poor man as after he escorted Loki and Bucky both to the little corner of the room where he and his girlfriend were._

 _"This is my friend Loki," Tony said, gesturing to the raven-haired Brit at his side, "who may in fact be your paler, darker haired doppelgänger."_

 _Thomas, instantly reaching out to shake Loki's hand, paused and widened his eyes in surprise upon seeing the man. "Oh! Wow! It's a pleasure to meet you. Your name is Loki? Like in Norse mythology?"_

 _"Exactly like that," Loki grinned in reply, shaking his hand. Up close, the resemblance was ridiculous. Loki was maybe an inch or two taller, and he was also perhaps a bit thinner and certainly paler, plus his eyes were a vibrant green where Thomas's were a light but equally vibrant shade of blue, and of course Loki's hair was jet black while the other man's was a natural blond, but the similarities were striking. Not only that, but their accents were nearly identical._

 _Thomas then shook Bucky's hand next, greeting him with a big smile and then introducing his girlfriend to them. Her name was Darcy and she was a Political Science major, and she was an adorable pint-size display of curves and charm at his side. They were all a bit tipsy, so the laughter and small talk came easily. Within a few moments, however, Thomas's gaze fell back on Loki and he couldn't help but ask, "I'm sorry, but are we related somehow?"_

 _"Well, I certainly hope not," Loki quipped. "I'm adopted, though, so I suppose there's always the possibility."_

 _"Oh, are you?" Thomas asked with genuine interest. "Well, it's just... uncanny. Almost a bit creepy, to be honest."_

 _That made Loki laugh. "It's certainly not every day you look across the room and find someone wearing your face. Especially when I'm quite used to being the most handsome man in the room."_

 _Thomas laughed next. "Feel as if you have some competition now?"_

 _"Absolutely," Loki grinned back._

 _"Dude," Darcy chimed in, eyeing Loki over the rim of her glasses, "you are totally flirting with my boyfriend right in front of me and I don't even care because you're so pretty. Like, you're totally the type who can just get away with anything, aren't you?"_

 _Loki merely shrugged and flashed her a grin, and then Bucky groaned, "You have no idea."_

 _Thomas simply laughed. He laughed a lot, it seemed, and he there was such an intrinsic cheer and lightness about him that it utterly intrigued Loki. He had that magnetic sort of personality that made one want to be around him more and soak up the light that he seemed to be so very full of, and the longer that they chatted, the more that proved to be true._

 _That was the first of many times their paths crossed. After they met, they happened upon one another outside of class one day - they didn't share any, but two of their classes were in rooms next to the other - and from there they became fast friends. They had quite a bit in common, not the least of which was their intellect and sense of humor. They found that they could talk for hours and not get bored, not necessarily agreeing on everything but sharing common interests in many topics and provoking thoughts in one another that they might not have considered otherwise. And when they weren't discussing philosophy or literature or whatever else captured their fancy that day, they spoke of their family and friends and quite literally any and everything._

 _Shortly after they grew close, Darcy and Thomas broke up on very amicable and mature terms. There was no drama or bad blood, only mutual and rational decision making, and they stayed friends afterwards. Loki didn't realize how much of a crush he'd developed on the man until he learned the news and felt a distinct sense of relief upon hearing it._

 _He hadn't been expecting that, but of course, all things considered, perhaps it wasn't surprising at all_.

* * *

"So," Aemilia said, thoroughly invested in the story being told to her, "did you ask him out after he broke up with her? How did you two end up together?"

"Well, it wasn't easy," Loki admitted. "I did a lot of pining in those days."

"Pining?" Aemilia smiled. "So you _do_ have a heart."

"Oh, trust me, I do," Loki replied. "You see, people often mistake me for being cold-hearted or unfeeling, but it's actually quite the opposite. When I love someone, I love them with everything that I have."

Aemilia found _that_ statement to be of particular interest. He kept surprising her, and she had a feeling that he would only continue to do so as the night went on. "I imagine that can be rather inconvenient for you at times, depending on the situation."

"Indeed it can," Loki agreed. "But in this case, I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome."

"What happened?" Aemilia asked with a smile, strangely excited to hear the rest of the story.

* * *

 _Thomas and Loki were_ not _related, as it turned out. That was one of the first things they established as they began to embark on their friendship and learn more about each other._

 _Thomas thought Loki was straight. He'd never noticed anything that said otherwise, and Loki's rather extensive list of women that he'd dallled with seemed to confirm the assumption. He never thought twice about it, and for a very long time, he was oblivious to Loki's attraction to him, even when Loki tried to be more obvious about it._

 _The thing was, unlike most of his previous lovers, Loki didn't want Thomas just for the physical benefits of a relationship. He genuinely cared for the man and adored his company. He loved the way that Thomas could go on and on about some abstract theory or concept and bring life to it, and the way that he saw meaning in so many things that others didn't. He could sit down and watch a movie and come away bursting with thoughts and feelings about every nuance of the film that others usually missed, and Loki found himself in awe more times than he could count. Plenty of his friends were smart - Bucky, Tony, a myriad of others - but Thomas was so uniquely... well..._ him _. And Loki wanted him._

 _He couldn't have him, however, because the feeling was most certainly not mutual. Any idiot could see that, and while Loki tried not to give himself false hope, he simply could not ignore his growing affections. He would flirt with Thomas on purpose, increasingly blatantly, but Thomas still didn't seem to get it and Loki was beside himself with frustration._

 _Clearly, he needed to just come out and say it. So one night, with plenty of alcohol in both of their systems to boost his courage, he did._

 _They'd been playing a rather rousing game of Truth or Dare with their friends, and by the time it was over, they were fairly drunk and it was obscenely late. They both had classes the next morning, but Loki found himself able to only think of one thing, and it wasn't sleep. It was the way that Thomas threw his head back when he laughed, the blue of his eyes when they lit up with amusement or mischief, and the way that he would elbow Loki mid-joke or throw an arm around his shoulder in a display of completely normal, platonic affection._

 _Loki was one rash, ill-advised decision away from simply grabbing his friend and kissing him until there could be no room for doubt or misinterpretation possibly left. But in the end he settled on something a bit less extreme, though no less risky._

 _The game over, he got up and followed Thomas into the kitchen of Tony's off-campus apartment to get a bottle of water. Once they had acquired said bottles and taken a few swigs, Loki replaced the top on his and watched as Thomas managed to make the simple act of drinking water appear nothing short of sexual. It was mind boggling. It made almost no sense, but_ fuck _Loki was on the verge of losing his mind and he had to do something before he went insane._

 _"I'm going to ask you truth or dare one more time," Loki said, catching his friend's attention as he set the half-empty bottle of water aside. "And I want you to pick truth."_

 _"All right," Thomas chuckled, furrowing his brows at the somewhat odd statement._

 _Loki licked his lips. "Truth or dare."_

 _Thomas chuckled again. "Truth."_

 _Loki paused before quirking one brow and asking quietly, smoothly, "Have you ever kissed a man before?"_

 _Whatever Thomas had been expecting, it was not that. "Oh," he said, surprised. He shook his head. "No. No, never. Why?"_

 _Ignoring the question, Loki then asked, "Would you be opposed to trying it?"_

 _Thomas stared at him for one long, heart-pounding moment before laughing again. It was a breathless, slightly bewildered sound, and his cheeks flushed as he asked, "Why are you asking me this?"_

 _Loki reached his breaking point. Snapping like a twig, he took a step closer to the other man and said through somewhat gritted teeth, "Because, you oblivious, blind fool, I have wanted to kiss you since nearly the moment I met you and no matter how obvious I try to make it, you still never seem to notice."_

 _Loki watched carefully as Thomas's reaction played out on his face. First there was shock, which he knew would come first. Then there was confusion, and thankfully, there was none of the disgust or panic that Loki had feared the most._

 _"But... really?"_

 _Loki rolled his eyes. "Yes, really."_

 _"I thought you were straight," Thomas admitted, his poor drunken mind trying to make sense of all of this._

 _"Gender means nothing to me," Loki replied. "It never has."_

 _"Ah. All right," Thomas nodded, running a nervous hand through his short blond hair. Then he chuckled, "I never noticed."_

 _"I'm still waiting for an answer," Loki quietly pointed out._

 _Thomas furrowed his brows and asked, "What was the question?"_

 _"Would you be opposed to kissing a man?" Loki repeated, his eyes dropping to the other man's lips almost involuntarily._

 _"... I assume by_ man _you mean you," Thomas replied, standing his ground._

 _"Preferably, yes," Loki replied, taking another step and then another, until he was standing just in front of Thomas._

 _Thomas regarded him for a moment before admitting with the slightest shrug of his shoulders, "I don't know. I've never thought about it, honestly. It's just... never occurred to me."_

 _"Then there's only one way to find out, yes?" Loki asked, his heart pounding out of his chest with how close they were and how close he was to having what he had been wanting so badly for what felt like ages to someone as impatient as Loki._

 _Thomas didn't say yes or no, but instead studied Loki for a moment before asking, "You really feel this way about me?"_

 _Loki replied by reaching out and touching the collar of the light blue button down shirt that Thomas wore. "This is my shirt you're wearing. I didn't only lend it to you because you asked. I lent it to you because I wanted to see you in my clothes, and because the smell of you on them drives me absolutely mad."_

 _Loki dropped his hand, and Thomas stared at him in complete surprise. He really had been every bit as oblivious as he had seemed._

 _"I don't expect you to feel the same," Loki told him next. "I would never pressure you to return a feeling that you don't have. But if there's the smallest chance that you could want me as I want you," he said, closing the distance between them, "I have to know."_

 _He reached up and touched the other man's face, Thomas shivering a little at the touch and staring at him with wide, gentle blue eyes. Loki, using the one inch of height that he had on Thomas to his advantage, looked down upon him and nearly whispered, "I'm going to kiss you. Just once. Then tomorrow, when we're both sober, we're going to talk about this, and you will tell me how you feel about what we did and if you enjoyed it. If you don't, then our friendship will be unchanged. I won't lose you. But if you do enjoy it..." He licked his lips, noticing how Thomas's breath was starting to pick up, "If you find that perhaps you could desire me, too... then you will be mine, understand?"_

 _Mouth falling open but no words coming out, Thomas tried to answer him but couldn't, because then Loki's lips were crashing down upon his and he couldn't even think, let alone form a single coherent word in his usually very sharp, very clear mind. But nothing was clear in that moment, and it was all he could do to simply hang on for the ride that Loki was taking him on._

 _The kiss was intense, gentle, and consuming, all at the same time. Loki cradled his face, knowing that this might be the only time he ever kissed the man and not wanting to take it for granted. He was determined to leave his mark upon him, so he kissed him once, then twice, and finally a third time. Thomas tentatively kissed him back during the second, and then on the third, his lips parted and Loki traced his tongue over the other man's lower lip before gently sliding it into his mouth, teasingly touching his tongue just once before slowly pulling away. He meant for it to end there, he did, but when he drew away and saw the way that Thomas was breathing hard through his mouth and had his eyes still closed, Loki let out a rough growl of a sound and pushed his friend against the refrigerator behind him to pillage his mouth one more time._

 _That time, Thomas didn't shy away or just barely reciprocate. Instead, he kissed Loki back from the start, his previously hanging hands coming up to rest somewhat nervously on Loki's arms as Loki's hand slid to the back of his head and through his hair as he kissed the hell of out him. The kiss was ravaging, consuming, and full of a passion that sent Thomas absolutely reeling._

 _When it was over, they were both panting hard and flushed from the base of their throats to their bizarrely similar hairlines. Loki opened his eyes first, gazing upon his friend's flustered, confused face before murmuring, "Tomorrow, my place, 2 o'clock."_

 _Thomas's eyes opened and he nodded. Loki reluctantly, almost painfully, let go of Thomas, and using every ounce of self control within him, took a step back. Thomas watched him, slumped slightly against the fridge and staring in lingering bewilderment and shock that that had just happened. Loki saw something else in his eyes too, something that looked a lot like desire and attraction, but he would only allow himself to believe that if it was still there tomorrow, without alcohol and with Thomas in full possession of his mind._

 _"Don't be late," Loki told him before turning and leaving._

 _Neither of them slept much that night._

* * *

Aemilia was enjoying this little story perhaps a bit _too_ much.

"... You're blushing," Loki noted with a pleased grin.

"I... well, you certainly have a way with words," Aemilia admitted, her entire face and part of her neck feeling hot in the wake of listening to Loki describe his first kiss with his college boyfriend.

"So I've been told," Loki chuckled, utterly adoring the way that she looked at that moment. She was so tempting and so alluring, her every reaction making it more and more difficult to maintain his patience and keep his hands to himself.

"Did he show up the next day?" Aemilia asked, dying to know more.

"He did," Loki nodded. "He definitely did."

Aemilia raised an eyebrow and grinned. "And?"

* * *

 _The following afternoon, Loki paced the tiny kitchen of the equally tiny apartment that he and Bucky shared as the minutes ticked closer and closer to 2 o'clock. He was a mess of nerves and self-doubt and worry, having woken up with the immediate first thought of_ fuck what have I done _followed by_ I've ruined everything like the worthless idiot that I am _and eventually balancing out with_ now I must wait several agonizingly long hours and learn my doom _._

 _Bucky had witnessed all of this, and he was currently leaning against the kitchen counter taking a bite out of an apple as Loki continued to pace, checking the time obsessively and jumping out of his skin at every noise he heard that vaguely resembled a knock on the door._

 _His eyes following Loki back and forth, Bucky swallowed the mouthful of apple and said, "We're gonna need a new kitchen floor by the time you're done with it."_

 _Loki glanced up in irritation and shot back, "Don't you have somewhere to be?"_

 _"Hey, don't take it out on me," Bucky replied. "I've got nothing to do with any of this."_

 _"You're the reason I met the man in the first place," Loki pointed out. "All of this is entirely your fault."_

 _"Yeah," Bucky chuckled sarcastically, "I told you to shove the guy against a fridge and stick your tongue down his throat. It's all me."_

 _Loki again stopped pacing in order to throw another salty retort Bucky's way when the distinct sound of a knock on the door made his heart drop and his panic return tenfold. Eyes flying to the door and brain scrambling to maintain its cool and continue functioning, Loki glanced at Bucky for only a moment before springing into action and lunging for the door, only or or three long-legged strides getting him there. Then he flung open the door and came face to face with the clearly equally anxious and nervous Thomas, standing there on the other side smiling and appearing just as compromised as Loki was._

 _"Hello," Thomas said in an overly chipper, overcompensating tone._

 _"Hi," Loki replied, realizing that he was staring and blinking before stepping out of the way for him to enter. After he did and Loki shut the door behind him, Thomas smiled politely at Bucky and Bucky nodded back to him, amusement dancing in his eyes at the entire situation._

 _"Feeling all right today?" Loki asked, needing to say something rather than stand there in awkward silence._

 _"Oh yes, perfectly fine. No hangover," Thomas replied cheerfully. Loki nodded, and then silence fell once more._

 _Bucky looked back and forth between both men before trying not to smile as he said, "Well, I'm gonna go... do... something, somewhere, so I'll catch you guys later." He then bade them both farewell and grabbed his keys before walking out the front door. Once it clicked shut, Loki made eye contact with Thomas once more and immediately felt as if he might lose his mind from the sheer intensity of the anxiety crashing through his veins._

 _They both began to speak at the same time. A handful of nervous chuckles later, Loki insisted that Thomas go first, so he did._

 _"I, ah... I thought I may have hallucinated what happened last night, but since you seem as nervous as I am... it must have actually happened."_

 _"Yes, it did," Loki confirmed, watching the other man carefully for any signs or clues as to how he felt about said incident today, without alcohol clouding things._

 _Thomas nodded, glancing around before asking, "Perhaps... can we sit, or -"_

 _"Yes, of course," Loki shook himself, mentally berating himself as he led them both to the small couch in the nearby living room. Since the couch wasn't very large and they were both rather tall, substantial men, they naturally sat somewhat close to one another after each taking one side of the couch. Then there was another awkward moment, and Loki absolutely hated it because they'd never endured a single awkward moment in each other's presence until that day._

 _It was his fault. He was a fool, a moron, and now he was probably going to endure losing one of the best friends he'd ever had because he was too damn greedy to ever be happy with anything -_

 _"So, I... thought about what you said last night," Thomas began after clearing his throat. "Actually, I've really thought of nothing else since the moment it happened."_

 _"That makes two of us," Loki replied, on the proverbial edge of his seat._

 _Thomas smiled and then paused, looking down at his hands. "It's all very confusing, I admit, and I truly had no idea. All this time, I really haven't. And I'm sorry for that, because it must have been incredibly... frustrating for you."_

 _"Spectacularly so," Loki nodded._

 _"I'm sorry," Thomas repeated. He did that a lot, apologizing, but Loki didn't hold anything against him. He blamed himself for all of it, now that he was rational again._

 _"I'm sorry for springing it all on you the way that I did," Loki said. "It was unfair to you. I just... lost my patience."_

 _"It's all right," Thomas told him, and he seemed to mean it. He then paused again, and after taking a moment to gather his words, he said, "You told me last night to tell you today how I felt about the, ah... the kiss."_

 _Loki almost felt lightheaded he was so nervous, and this wasn't like him at all. "You don't have to if you don't want to."_

 _"I want to," Thomas replied, not about to waste the courage he'd spent working up all morning. He took a breath. "The truth is, I did like it. I didn't expect to, but I did. I'm not entirely sure what that means, but... you wanted to know how I felt once I was sober and had a chance to think it all though, so..."_

 _Loki felt a bit of hope spark anew, but he was afraid to believe what he was hearing. "Are you only saying that, or is that truly how you feel?"_

 _"It's the truth," Thomas replied, his sincerity leaving no room for doubt._

 _"Don't toy with me," Loki warned him._

 _"I'm not," Thomas immediately assured him._

 _"Then you're attracted to me?" Loki asked, eyes flitting over the other man's face and trying to decipher every last possible clue as to how he truly felt._

 _"I think that I might be," Thomas replied. "I - this is very new and... different for me, but I'm willing to try and... find out what happens if I let it." He then swallowed and laughed nervously, "Sort of like a... test drive."_

 _... A test drive. It was exactly things like this that made Loki want this man so badly. Loki stared at him, eyes darkening at the thought of a slow, tentative exploration taking place between the two, lazy and without pressure or even a clear direction, just... testing the waters and seeing what would happen. Just the idea alone nearly had Loki aching already, and he knew that Thomas was thinking the very same thing if the blush on his cheeks was any indication._

 _"I can do that," Loki finally replied, voice coming out a bit more gruff than he had expected it to. "Trust me, I would be happy to let you use me however you wish."_

 _Blushing even more profusely, Thomas clearly wasn't quite sure what to say to that. When Loki started to grin at him, he smiled and turned away before murmuring, "I can't believe this is happening."_

 _"I can make you very glad that it is," Loki promised him. "I know you have your doubts, but I felt the way that you kissed me back last night. You enjoyed it as much as I did."_

 _"I didn't think I would," he admitted._

 _"There's many things you might enjoy that you don't think you would," Loki replied. "I suppose that's the fun of a 'test drive', as you call it."_

 _"Oh dear God," Thomas suddenly said, dropping his face into his hands with an embarrassed chuckle. "What have I gotten myself into?"_

 _"My bed, if you'd like," Loki grinned. When Thomas nearly gaped at him, Loki chuckled and said, "Relax. I only mean that we should go to my room and continue this conversation in there. More private. Less chance for interruption."_

 _"Right," Thomas nodded, visibly relaxing. "Sorry."_

 _"Don't be," Loki replied, standing up and motioning for him to follow. "If you were any less nervous, I'd wonder if I really am the first man you've kissed."_

 _"Trust me, you are," Thomas replied, following Loki out of the living room and into his bedroom. "I can promise you that."_

 _"Well," Loki mused, opening the door to his room and glancing at Thomas over his shoulder, "I do always enjoy being someone's first."_

 _Thomas sighed, his cheeks seemingly permanently stained pink from his blushes. Loki resisted the urge to grab him and kiss him again, instead closing the door after he entered and then leading them both to the bed. For the next hour and a half, the two men simply sat and talked._

 _They talked about everything, from their first kisses to their first girlfriends and first everything. Loki, Thomas learned, had never been solely interested in girls, even though women were where the bulk of his experience was. He'd had a handful of half-drunken hookups with a few guys since freshman year, but he'd never had a boyfriend. In addition, his mother and his brother back home were aware of his nature, but his father wasn't. It was a complicated relationship, to say the least, and the less that the old man knew, the better for everyone._

 _Thomas, meanwhile, admitted that he found most of his hesitance in his unwillingness to hurt his friend. He cared deeply for Loki, and he was afraid of diving in and finding that his heart just wasn't in it and that he was too straight for his own good. It would be cruel to do such a thing to Loki, give him something he wanted so badly just to change his mind and take it away._

 _"I'd never forgive myself if I hurt you," he told Loki, leaning back against a pile of pillows in front of the headboard. Loki was next to him, and they were facing each other with their knees nearly touching. "That's the only thing making me stop and think that maybe this is a mistake."_

 _"There's an easy solution to that problem," Loki pointed out. "We take that test drive you spoke of and see if we're on the same page or not. No harm in finding out, is there?"_

 _"... No," Thomas replied, though his anxiety was written all over his face. "No, no harm in that."_

 _Loki looked him over, as far from relaxed as one man could be, and Loki wanted to make this as easy and comfortable for him as possible. Thomas going out on quite the limb for him, and it was the least that Loki could do to meet him there halfway._

 _"You can trust me, you know," Loki told him. "I would never pressure you to do anything you wouldn't like."_

 _"I know," Thomas nodded quickly. "I do. And I do trust you. It's just... still a lot to wrap my head around."_

 _"Then maybe you ought to stop thinking so much," Loki suggested. "I can help you with that."_

 _"Can you?" Thomas grinned._

 _Loki nodded. "Instead of overthinking and analyzing it all to death... why don't you kiss me and find out what you feel instead of what you think?"_

 _The two men were close, close enough that Thomas wouldn't have to lean over but a few inches to do what Loki suggested. He hesitated at first, eyes falling to Loki's lips before he replied, "I want to."_

 _"Then do it," Loki replied, leaning a little bit closer. "Kiss me, Thomas."_

 _The other man licked his lips and let out a shaky breath before moving closer, determination overtaking his hesitation. Loki's heart rate skyrocketed with each inch closer they drew, and by the time he could feel warm, familiar breath on his lips, he felt like he'd burst at that first contact._

 _And he nearly did. As wonderful as the previous night's drunken, spontaneous kiss had been, Loki soon discovered that the feeling of Thomas's soft lips pressing voluntarily and slowly against his own was one of the best things he'd ever felt. He'd kissed many others in the past and he was far from deprived from this sort of physical attention, but as Thomas kissed him gently and almost tentatively, Loki felt a stirring from within that he'd never felt before. He didn't know what it was, but whatever it might have been, it made his head feel hot and his heart race even faster._

 _They kissed like that for a few moments, lazily and sweetly, nothing at all like their first kiss. Loki, reminding himself to go slow for the other man's sake, slid his fingers into Thomas's short blonde curls and forced himself to stay calm and try not to let Thomas know how badly he wanted him. Just the sight of Thomas lounging in his bed made Loki want to rip his clothes off and make him scream with pleasure, but he had to pace himself, for both their sakes._

 _Thomas broke the kiss first, pulling away with a grin and a breathless chuckle. Loki chuckled with him and then titled his head, asking, "Good?"_

 _"Very good," he replied, peeking up into Loki's eyes through his lashes. Every little thing he did made Loki need him and want him more and more._

 _"You enjoy kissing me?" Loki asked, reaching out and tipping Thomas's head back with two long, slim fingers under his chin. Loki pressed his lips just under the corner of his jaw and then murmured, "Answer me."_

 _"Yes," Thomas breathed, closing his eyes as Loki rained kisses down his neck. Loki had always suspected he'd adore this, having his neck slowly and sensually kissed and nipped, and when he discovered a spot that made Thomas shiver, Loki lingered there and drove the man nearly out of his mind._

 _Thomas brought a slightly shaky hand up to Loki's silky, slightly long jet-black hair, letting his anxiety slowly melt away and desire and excitement replace it. He always liked trying new things, after all._

 _Loki eventually dragged his lips back upwards and captured Thomas in another kiss, one that was long and passionate and astoundingly hot. Now there was no hesitation, no unsureness, only touching and feeling and wanting, and_ oh _, Loki_ needed _him. But even more than he needed him, Loki needed to know once and for all that the feeling was mutual in every way that it could be._

 _He ran his fingers through Thomas' hair, over his shoulders and his chest over his shirt, then down to his waist where his curious fingers slipped under his the hem of the shirt and touched the warm skin beneath for the first time. Thomas didn't recoil or shy away from the touch, and Loki treated him the way that he'd treated a few shyer girls in the past - with the utmost of care and attention, paying close attention to his cues and signs, wanting absolutely nothing but to please him and make this as good for him as he deserved._

 _Thomas surprised him, then, by breaking their furious and deep kisses and then pulling his own shirt over his head, discarding it on the floor. Loki hadn't seen that coming, and he barely had a chance to admire his friend's shirtless form before Thomas pulled him back for another slew of hot, mostly open-mouthed kisses. Loki groaned into his mouth, hands wasting no time in exploring the newly bare skin of his back, his chest, his stomach, everything. Then, his hand slipping rather purposefully over the front of the other man's jeans, he discovered just how much Thomas truly wanted him, and low sounds of need escaped both of their mouths at the same moment that they pulled away from the kiss._

 _They stared at each other for a long, heated moment before Loki put his hand on Thomas' chest and gently pushed him down to lay on his back. Their eyes stayed locked all the while as Loki's hand drifted lower and lower again, brushing over him through his jeans as Loki asked darkly, "Aching for me already?"_

 _He watched then as a most attractive blush covered not only Thomas' cheeks but his neck and even a portion of his chest. He rubbed his hand up and down slowly, teasing him, and Thomas closed his eyes and pushed up into the indirect touch with a silent plea. Loki could have come undone right there at the sight of him like that, but instead he pulled his hand away and then rose up on his knees to rid himself of his own shirt. He lost his pants as well, Thomas watching anxiously - and almost clumsily kicking off his jeans - until Loki was back again and this time on top of him, stretching out above him and kissing him with a new vengeance._

 _As Loki dominated the other man's tongue with his own, he dragged their bodies together and ground his lower half against Thomas' in a way that made them both grown muffled against each other's lips. Thomas, who had been somewhat shy with his hands until then, reached down and gripped Loki's hips as they started moving together, creating a rhythm and a friction that felt as delicious as it was torturous. Loki controlled the pace, moving slowly but firmly, and the next time they broke for air, Loki gazed down at Thomas in all his wide-blue-eyed desire before asking lowly, "Do you want me?"_

 _"Yes," Thomas answered without hesitation. His doubts were gone now, obliterated by the knowledge and the evidence of how well they worked and fit together._

 _"Are you sure?" Loki asked, tracing the other man's beautifully sharp cheekbone, still lazily rocking their hips together. "Because if you want this... if you want me... then you'll be mine, and I don't share what's mine."_

 _Thomas cursed beneath him, closing his eyes and bringing Loki down for a kiss that they both quickly got lost in. In the midst of it, Loki brought his hand down between them and pushed down their underwear just far enough to free them both and be out of the way, and then he took Thomas in hand and made him gasp softly into their kiss with the somewhat sudden touch._

 _Loki couldn't help but to pull away and watch Thomas' face as he touched him, working him in slow, gentle strokes and watching each spark of pleasure play out on his face. Thomas was incredibly expressive, not afraid to let his pleasure show on his face or in his voice, and Loki adored that. Thomas was also growing more and more brave, touching him and groping him, thrusting up into his hand when he wanted more, and Loki was all too happy to give him that._

 _Loki kissed down Thomas's body as his hand started to work faster, his own arousal grinding almost erratically on Thomas' thigh as his own need grew almost unbearable. But he forced himself to be patient, focusing entirely on his lover and making this experience serve to obliterate any lingering doubt in Thomas' head that they might not be physically compatible._

 _Thomas was a writhing, needy mess by the time that Loki's lips ended up lingering at the distinct v of his hips. He traced the lines with his tongue, fist still moving ever quicker and sometimes giving a little twist or brush of his thumb that would make Thomas jerk softly and let out a blissful sound that instantly knew he'd never get enough of. Then, his face at last level with his hand, Loki glanced up at Thomas to find him watching anxiously, chest heaving up and down with labored breaths and his blue eyes darker than Loki had ever seen them. Then, maintaining that searing eye contact, Loki licked his lips and then opened his mouth to take the other man in. Thomas then made a sound that should have been illegal, and his eyes fell closed as he dropped his head back down and gave in fully to Loki._

 _Loki's only regret was that it didn't last longer. Thomas was wound so tightly and was so close already that it felt like only seconds before he was tensing and then grappling at Loki's hair as his entire body trembled and jerked with the force of his release. He moaned softly, all hard breaths and deep gasps, and Loki didn't stop until he knew the last wave had gone. He let him go then, licking his lips of the slight mess on them and then raising his head to look upon his friend as he laid there sated and likely ready for a nap._

 _Loki slowly crawled back up, leaving little soft kisses here and there and nuzzling Thomas' jaw once he had fully returned. Thomas reached up and put a hand on the back of Loki's head, fingers threading through the raven strands and then guiding him up to press their lips together again._

 _They stayed like that for awhile, languidly kissing and touching despite the fact that Loki was still in dire need of much more substantial attention himself. When they eventually drew away to catch their breaths, they both opened their eyes and looked at each other for what felt like several very long, poignant moments._

 _Finally, Loki spoke. He couldn't hold the words in any longer. "I want you."_

 _Thomas smiled. "I'm... fairly sure that you have me."_

 _"No," Loki shook his head, trying to find the right words to express himself. "I want you. Not just your body. I want..."_

 _"... You want to be with me?" Thomas guessed, and Loki nodded with relief that he understood._

 _"Yes," Loki replied. "I want to... take you to a proper dinner," he chuckled, making Thomas laugh softly too. "Show you off to everyone I know. Then bring you back to my bed every night and make you come so hard you forget your own name."_

 _Thomas nearly lost his ability to breathe at those words._

 _"I want you to be mine," Loki said, dropping a soft but possessive kiss to his lips, "and mine alone."_

 _"I'm yours," Thomas replied, holding him close and kissing him back. "I'm yours, Loki."_

 _It was a bit crazy, entirely unexpected, and also one of the most exhilarating moments of Loki's life thus far. He groaned and kissed Thomas again, their kisses growing frantic and passionate again before Thomas managed to turn them over and place the focus on Loki rather than on himself. It was all even better than he had thought it would be, and as it turned out, it was only the start of a long, satisfying, and very curious entire day in bed together._

 _It was also the start of one of the best, happiest, and healthiest relationships of Loki's life._

* * *

If Aemilia had been blushing before, she was utterly and completely compromised now. And Loki couldn't have been happier about it.

" _Wow_ ," she marveled, absentmindedly fiddling with the ends of a few strands of her hair in an ineffective attempt to keep herself busy.

Loki chuckled. "That's one way of putting it." In some ways, he felt as if he was engaging in a rather long exercise of verbal foreplay with her by telling her this particular story, but even more telling was the fact that he was sharing it with her at all. That particular past relationship of his was one that he valued greatly and only shared details of with those that he trusted, and in truth, he really barely knew the woman sitting next to him. But for some reason, being with her the way that he was, he felt a level of comfort with her that he rarely felt with anyone he'd known for so short a time.

"How long were the two of you together?" Aemilia asked.

"About a year," Loki replied. "And it was a lovely year, for the most part. We were very happy most of the time."

"What made you eventually break up?" she asked gently, hoping that the answer wouldn't be too painful for Loki to recall.

"Life," Loki replied with a slight shrug. "His was back home in England, and mine was here. He had wonderful opportunities there that he didn't have here, and I wasn't going to hold him back. It was a very peaceful, mutual parting of ways. Certainly not easy, but... it was the right decision. And we are still friends to this day. Whenever we happen to be in the same town, we have dinner and catch up. It's nice."

"I'm sure," Aemilia smiled. "That's really lovely that you're both able to do that. Most people don't have the maturity."

"Well, he..." Loki paused and furrowed his brows, expression growing very serious as he gathered his words. "He came along during a time that was rather difficult for me. My relationship with my father... my _adopted_ father... has always been complicated and... difficult. Back then I cared so much for his approval that I would have done _anything_ to gain it - and I do mean anything - but nothing was ever enough. And when I brought Thomas home for Christmas instead of a woman... it was sort of the last straw for him, I suppose."

"Oh no," Aemilia cringed quietly, dreading what that might mean. "I'm sorry. That must have been terrible."

"It was," Loki nodded. "But Thomas was incredible. He helped me finally come to terms with the fact that I was never going to earn the old man's approval and that I was only hurting myself continually trying to. I already knew that, in the back of my mind, but... hearing it from him and seeing how much he believed in me... it finally made it sink in once and for all."

* * *

 _"You're angry," Thomas noted, running his fingers through Loki's hair as they laid tangled up in bed together. Loki's head was on his chest, and the sheets were in disarray all around them, as well as much of the bed itself. Thomas' neck bore marks that served as further proof of how intense Loki had been that night, and while he certainly didn't mind taking the onslaught, Thomas still had to make sure that Loki was all right._

 _But he wasn't. Loki merely replied sarcastically, "What gave it away?"_

 _Thomas sighed and bent his head to place a kiss to Loki's hair. "I don't mind letting you take it out on me. But I wish you didn't have to."_

 _"I wish a lot of things were different," Loki muttered._

 _Thomas hesitated only a moment before replying, "Then make things different."_

 _"If I could," Loki replied with a hint of irritation in his tone, "then I would have ten years ago."_

 _"That's not what I mean," Thomas replied, fingers still gently stroking through Loki's hair. "What I mean is, your worth is only dependent on your father's opinion of you if you allow it to be."_

 _"He's not even my father."_

 _Tiring of Loki's sullen, stubborn attitude, Thomas shifted them so that Loki was still in his arms but so their faces were nearly level. Looking the other man in the eye, Thomas then said, "He's the only father you've ever had. And it's natural to want his approval, trust me, I know, but... the way that he spoke to you tonight and the way that he treats you, it isn't just unfair. It's abuse, Loki."_

 _Loki already knew that, deep down, but hearing those words from Thomas' lips cut deeply. Memories that he had suppressed for far too long flitted through his head, flashes of times when Odin screamed at him or heaped cruel punishments upon him when Frigga and Thor weren't around. His abuse wasn't only verbal, and Loki had only been a child when he leaned how painful it was to be backhanded or thrown against something, or hit with whatever happened to be in the old man's hand at the time._

 _Forgetting such things and pretending as if they never happened, or perhaps convincing himself that he had somehow deserved such treatment, had always been easier than confronting the truth of the matter. And the truth was that Odin would always love Loki's brother better, and that Loki would never have the sort of unconditional love and support that every son craved from his father._

 _Bringing a boyfriend home for the holidays had simply been the straw that broke the camel's back, apparently. After a shouting match over dinner that resulted in Odin smashing a handful of dishes and storming off after declaring Loki "unworthy" of the family, Loki had been left with an avalanche of emotions that he had no idea how to deal with. He'd tried to channel his anger into something that he could use in bed, and he_ had _quite enjoyed what he and Thomas had done in his old childhood room, but he knew that it would ultimately solve nothing._

 _"It doesn't matter," Loki finally muttered, but Thomas would hear nothing of the sort._

 _"Yes it absolutely matters," Thomas replied quietly but fiercely. "It matters because_ you _matter. And you_ are _worthy of your family. He's the one who isn't."_

 _Loki grimaced slightly. "I've been a disappointment to him since the day they adopted me. And I didn't even know that I_ was _adopted until it came out in one of his fits of anger a few years ago."_

 _"He is a fool," Thomas told him. "Don't you dare let that old man convince you that you're worthless or that you're not worthy of being loved."_

 _"What if I already have?" Loki asked, allowing himself to be more vulnerable with another person than he had in ages. It was a terrifying and risky thing to do, but he trusted Thomas._

 _Thomas stared at him for a moment before replying, "Then I can prove you both wrong."_

 _"How?"_

 _"Because I love you," Thomas admitted with a small, slightly nervous smile._

 _Loki froze at the utterance of those words. They hadn't uttered them to one another yet, and the fact that Thomas was saying it_ now _of all times... Loki couldn't believe it. He simply could not._

" _Don't tell me that," he muttered with far more of an edge to his tone than Thomas deserved at that moment. "You're only saying it out of pity."_

 _Thomas' expression went from nervous but hopeful to surprised and slightly horrified. "No, I'm not. I swear to you, I'm not. I wouldn't do that. I said it because I mean it."_

 _Loki tried to pull away, but Thomas held him close and didn't let him run away like his instincts were screaming at him to. Loki merely clenched his jaw and quietly ordered, "Let me go."_

 _"No."_

 _Loki glared at the other man, but Thomas was unfazed._

 _"No," Thomas repeated, "because I do love you and no matter how well your father's managed to convince you that you can't be loved and don't deserve to be, you can and you are. And I'm not letting you go until you see that."_

" _You're insufferable," Loki muttered, though secretly he was indescribably grateful for what the other man was doing for him. "And ridiculous. Naive and unbearably difficult and foolish and -"_

 _"Yes, I'm all of those things," Thomas agreed. "And you are brilliant and... beautiful. Loyal, unpredictable, intense, and... a thousand other things that I could tell you and you won't believe because of what that man has done to you."_

 _Loki stared at him, trying his best to do so blankly but his mask was slipping. Thomas was no idiot and everything that he was saying was so obnoxiously true that Loki, as good of a liar as he was, couldn't deny it._

 _Thomas cupped his face and told him quietly and sincerely, "I do love you. Whether you believe me or not, it's true. And I'm not saying it now out of pity. I'm saying it now because I didn't have the nerve to before, but now I need you to know it."_

 _As their eyes remained locked and Loki found that he was out of ways to try to discount Thomas' words or write them off as anything but completely genuine, he lost the will to keep fighting. He needed this, needed to feel the sort of love that was being freely and willingly offered to him from such a pure, sweet source, and more than anything, he wanted to believe that he truly was worthy._

 _"You love me?" Loki asked, his stubborn brain unable to fully accept it still._

 _"I love you," Thomas confirmed, still holding him like he was something precious and to be cherished._

 _"Why?" Loki asked almost innocently, in a way that nearly broke the other man's heart._

 _After contemplating nearly a thousand different ways to answer that, Thomas finally settled on, "Honestly, Loki," he replied softly, "I don't think there's anything in the world that could make me not love you."_

 _Loki smiled then, just a shadow of a real smile, and he shook his head slightly before admitting, "It's hard for me to believe you."_

 _"I know," Thomas replied softly. "And that's okay. I'll spend as long as it takes to finally get it through your thick skull."_

 _That made Loki really smile. Then Thomas pulled him closer and kissed him, and for a little while, Loki felt better. One man's words couldn't unravel a lifetime's worth of abuse, but they started him on a path to self-acceptance and healing that no others had before. And for that, Loki would forever be in Thomas' debt._

* * *

 _"_ It's hard to believe that you two ended up splitting up," Aemilia said, her heart warming a bit from the sad but sweet story. "You sound so perfect for each other."

Loki shrugged. "We're both where we're supposed to be. I have no regrets. I make it a point to never have any of those."

"Well, I'm glad you had him for awhile. It sounds like he certainly had a very positive effect on you and your life."

"Oh, he did," Loki agreed. "And the effect was mutual. I opened up his horizons," he grinned. "He had a... shall we say _darker side_ that I helped him discover. And we both came out of the relationship happier and more confident in ourselves."

"That is wonderful," Aemilia said. "Truly."

Then Loki noticed that Aemilia had a certain little smirk on her face that wouldn't quite go away. He squinted and shot her a smirk back before asking, "What's got you smiling like that, darling?"

Her smirk widened and she blushed faintly before brushing some of her dark red curls over her shoulder and replying, "Just that I think you have a bit of a talent for that. Bringing out someone's dark side."

"Are you speaking from experience?" Loki asked, his tone lowering and eyes narrowing just slightly enough to signal his intent.

"I wouldn't have said it if I wasn't," she replied, quite ready to cease the talking now that she was thoroughly compromised from imagining Loki in intimate situations with an equally tall and handsome man _and_ from being in such close proximity to him all night. She was still high from the show and positively _thrumming_ with energy waiting to be released. She knew exactly how she wanted to do that, and she knew that Loki would have no objections.

"Explain," Loki prompted her, leaning forward and placing his own empty drink glass on the coffee table so that he could lean back against the couch and focus entirely on her.

She leaned closer to him, licking her lips and contemplating for a moment. "Well... I suppose that ever since our night together, I've found myself a bit more... curious about certain things."

Oh, he _liked_ where this was going. "Like?"

"Control," she replied, her tone even and confident. "Domination. Things like that."

"Ah," he grinned. "Well... what I showed you before was only a little taste of what you speak of. There's far more for you to explore."

"I know," she grinned back. "Why else do you think I'm mentioning this?"

Scratch his last thought - he _loved_ where this was going. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well," she said as the blush on her cheeks deepened a little, "honestly, as much as I loved playing submissive... I haven't been able to stop thinking about what it would be like to have the control instead."

He chuckled darkly, having had a feeling that she would say something along those lines. "Of _course_ you have." When she quirked an eyebrow quizzically, he added, "There's a fire inside you, Aemilia. Never for a minute would I be foolish enough to think that you could be satisfied so easily. You're a curious, adventurous thing. We're alike in that sense."

"Yes, I suppose we are," Aemilia replied, the way that his green eyes skimmed over her body with those words making her skin heat up all over. Sharing one last little grin with him, she smoothed down her dress over her thighs before slowly getting to her feet. The alcohol she'd consumed over the course of the night left her feeling more warm and tingly than intoxicated, and she felt _great_ as she stepped in front of Loki.

He looked up at her curiously, eyes locking with hers as she reached down and gripped the loosened knot of his black tie in her delicate hand. She gave it a healthy tug and he followed her lead, letting her pull him to his feet and standing before her with very little space between them.

Her hand releasing the tie and then trailing down his chest, Aemilia stared fearlessly into his eyes and didn't say a word as one of his hands went to her hair, gently brushing one side of it behind her ear and the other landing on her waist. Their eye contact faltered only as they both leaned in closer, the natural pull between them impossible for either of them to ignore or fight.

But their lips didn't touch just yet. Instead, the tips of their noses brushed softly and Loki told her quietly but heatedly, "Tell me what you want, darling."

"Control," she answered without hesitation, looking down at his lips and then back to his eyes.

"Of what?" he asked, his voice little more than a velvet purr.

" _You_ ," she replied with mischief and heat sparkling in her devilishly expressive eyes.

Fingers running softly through her hair, his entire expression darkened before he leaned in closer and replied with his lips mere centimeters from her ear, "Control isn't something I relinquish easily. I'm not submissive by nature."

"I know," she replied barely over a whisper, shivering when his lips traveled just an inch lower and brushed underneath her ear in a barely-there kiss. " _I know_ , but..."

"But you want me at your command," he finished for her, those words making the heat she felt inside nearly double. Both of his hands were on her hips now, curling firmly against them as he pulled away from her ear and added. "You want to pull my strings and use me for your benefit."

Listening to Loki refer to himself essentially as a toy made Aemilia need him all the more. "Perhaps," she replied, both of her hands smoothing up and over his shoulders. "Can you blame me?"

"Certainly not," he grinned, leaning in again as she did the same, coming so close to kissing again but still stopping just short. "And I wouldn't dream of denying you."

Her lips parted and breath mingling with his, she asked, "No?"

He shook his head. "Never, darling."

Then he finally leaned in for the kiss, but Aemilia pulled away just before their lips would have touched. His eyes opened and she shot him a filthy little grin before slipping out of his arms and taking a few steps backwards. "Don't make me wait," she told him in a low, sultry tone before turning and walking straight towards her bedroom. Loki watched the sway of her hips as she walked until he snapped out of his momentary stupor and began to follow her.

The minute they were both inside of her warm, pleasant-smelling bedroom, Loki shut the door behind him and Aemilia wasted no time in issuing her first command. She sauntered up to him in her heels and then told him with their eyes locked, "Undress me."

"Of course," he replied, wasting no time in slowly circling around her and standing facing her back. The first thing he did was take her rather luscious red waves in his hands and brush them over her shoulder, his fingers brushing the back of her neck and making her shiver. Then, with her hair out of the way, he quickly found her dress' zipper and slowly, carefully dragged it down to her lower back. As the sides of her dress opened up, his eyes were met with the sight of her lingerie-clad body, and it took all of his self-control not to moan on the spot.

Taking each side of the hem of her dress in his hands, he pulled until the dress slid down her arms and hit the floor. She stepped out of it gracefully and then turned, giving him the full view of her lacy black and white lingerie. She looked utterly exquisite, the entire set clinging to her like a second skin and presenting her to him like a particularly mouthwatering dessert. His gaze started at her black-stocking covered legs, shapely and long and perfect, and then his eyes tripped over the garter strings on her thighs and the curve of her hips. Her panties were all light lace and high-waisted, accentuating her shape and teasing him with how much of her skin they hid, and just barely covering her breasts was a matching lacy bra that he had plans to remove as quickly as possible.

She watched him take her in, and when his eyes met hers once more, his hands went to her hips and he asked huskily, "Do you _always_ wear such mouthwatering things under all of your dresses?"

She smirked and put her hands on his chest, pushing him back and walking him back towards her bed. "I wear lingerie for myself. I like the way it makes me feel and look."

He groaned just under his breath, truthfully adoring that answer. "Oh, I can imagine, darling. How do you keep your hands off of yourself?"

She giggled as the backs of his legs hit the bed. She pushed him down by his shoulders and he sat down on the edge, and she immediately swung her leg over both of his and straddled his lap as she replied, "Who says that I do?"

He groaned and she smiled radiantly before taking his hair in her hand and bringing her lips crashing down to his at last. They both trembled slightly with the much-needed contact, Loki pulling her close with one arm around her back and his other hand curled tightly around her hip, kissing her like he needed her more than air to breathe. Aemilia rocked down against him, controlling their kiss and deepening it when he parted his lips for her, and the shaky sigh that she let out when their tongues touched gave away how very affected she already was.

After a few moments ravaging each other's mouths, Aemilia broke away only to reach behind her back and effortlessly unhook her bra. She tossed it away and gave Loki only about half a second to take in the sight of her bare breasts before she grabbed him and kissed him again, pressing her chest to his still-clothed one and grinding more insistently in his lap as their kisses grew from deep to _consuming_. She could feel him hard underneath her thighs already, and when he pulled her head back a bit roughly with a fistful of her hair and then dropped his head down to hungrily take a nipple in his mouth, he also ripped off one of her garter straps from her stocking. She arched her back and held his head closer, body humming with excitement and the need to be closer and _feel_ him more than she already was.

Reluctantly letting go of his head and pushing him back a few inches, Aemilia began the rather pleasant task of undressing Loki. She all but ripped off his tie first, tossing it higher up the bed for later purposes, and then made quick work of his shirt as she pressed her lips to his neck and kissed him there until he groaned softly. She pushed his shirt off as she nipped at a sensitive spot just above where his neck met his shoulder, and then he grabbed her face and brought her lips back to his as her hands trailed down his chest.

She could have sat there on his lap and kissed him like that for a long time, but she needed more and patience had never been her virtue. She broke their kiss and drew away, fingers carding through his silky black hair as she met his heated gaze and told him, "I want to tie you to my bed."

His eyes flashed with desire. "Then do it, Little One."

Every time he called her that, it made something deep inside of her nearly burst with excitement and want and _feeling_. How he could make her feel so much with two little affectionate words was beyond her, but she couldn't pretend not to love it.

She stood up and began undoing her garter belt as she told him, "Take the rest of your clothes off and go lay at the top of the bed."

"Yes, darling," he murmured before happily complying. She stripped along with him, both of them watching the other as they shed the rest of their clothes. After her garter belt hit the floor, Loki watched as she peeled each stocking from her leg and dropped them, his pants landing near them not long after and then the criminally well-fitted black boxer briefs he'd worn beneath them. Aemilia, left only in her panties that she didn't hesitate to slip out of, then watched as Loki followed her instructions to crawl up the bed near his discarded tie and wait for her there.

She didn't make him wait long. Loki watched her with great anticipation as she walked completely naked along the edge of the bed, leaning forward and grabbing his tie from the bed with one delicate hand. Then, holding the material and giving Loki a little smile, she put one knee on the bed and then another, and then she was straddling his waist as she stretched out the tie in front of her.

"Are you comfortable?" she asked.

"You're going to have to be a lot more specific," Loki grinned, and Aemilia chuckled. He placed his hands on her legs and ran them up her thighs, and she let him feel her and touch her for a moment before she took his wrists in her hands and guided them down to the bed.

"Well," she said as she took his tie and began to wrap it around his wrists before looping the rest of the material around her headboard, "hopefully you won't mind being _tied up_ here for awhile."

"Oh I won't mind at all, so long as you make it worth my while," Loki replied with a slightly devious little grin.

Aemilia tightened the tie around his wrists and replied, "No more talking unless I give you permission, darling."

"Well, that's a rather gutsy command."

Aemilia could definitely see how Loki was _not_ accustomed to submitting to anyone. In response to his most definitely not allowed comment, she grasped his hair at the the top of his head and used it to yank his head back rather sharply. Then she leaned in close and purred, "I said no talking, Loki. Are you going to do as I say or am I going to have to also restrain your pretty little mouth?"

The way that his eyes darkened in response to her words gave away how much he was enjoying this, despite how foreign of a thing that it was to him. "I will do as you say," he replied, his words making Aemilia grin and stroke his cheekbone softly.

"Good," she said, dropping one little kiss to his lips. "Because I would hate to have to change my plans for your mouth."

He almost asked her what those plans were before remembering that she hadn't permitted him to speak. He forced himself silent and Aemilia grinned as she straightened up on top of him and looked him over. He was quite a sight to behold, naked and long-limbed and _gorgeous_ , and best of all, tied to her bed and truly at her mercy.

She'd never been in a position before even remotely like the one that she was in now, but to her own surprise, she didn't feel nervous or the slightest bit hesitant. She was far too excited to feel either one of those things, and far too eager to get things started to waste time thinking rather than acting.

"I can see why you enjoy being in control," she said, sliding her hand up his chest and admiring his form as he breathed in deeply and flexed his arms in an attempt to make them slightly more comfortable. Then she gently traced his lower lip with two of her fingertips as she added, "I haven't even gotten started yet and I'm already enjoying myself entirely too much."

Lowering herself down so that her breasts rested comfortably on his chest, Aemilia ran her fingers softly through Loki's hair and kissed him until he was breathless and trying to chase her lips with his own. When she pulled just too far away for him to reach, his eyes opened and flashed with irritation, and all she could do was grin and murmur, "My, _my_ it's fun having you like this. Was it fun having me at _your_ mercy?"

"Fun is far too trivial a word," Loki replied. "It was more... intoxicating."

"Was it?" she mused.

"Absolutely," he replied lowly, "and I remember every last second of that night as if it were yesterday."

She hadn't expected him to say that, nor the rush of warmth that she felt at those words, but she didn't doubt him in the least. Instead, she smiled a little bit and then kissed him again, then again, and again after that until they were both lacking oxygen and her body started rocking against his to relieve a little bit of the tension that had been building all night.

He was _powerless_ and a very substantial part of him almost hated it. But an equally substantial part of him found it all to be very much worth it when Aemilia sat up straight again and tossed her hair back, still grinding herself against him languidly and giving them both just the smallest bit of relief that she could manage. He moved with her and constantly resisted his restraints, wishing they'd just disintegrate but they of course never did. Instead, he laid there and tried to mask his frustration as she dragged her nails down his chest and followed each sting with presses of her soothing lips, kissing down to his abdomen and then, because she was such a tease, moving right back up.

Then her lips were on his again, and every time they kissed it was like fireworks. They both felt it, the spark between them that felt like it sprang from deep within their very bones, and when it all became too much for Aemilia to resist, she broke their kiss and then raised back up to begin a journey up his body that she might have second guessed had she given herself the chance to. But she didn't.

Panting, overheated and feeling like she was wound more tightly than possibly ever before, Aemilia's eyes locked with Loki's lust-clouded ones as she began to move up, up, _up_ , until her knees were on either side of his shoulders and she was nearly where she wanted to be.

"I've never done this before," she admitted, "but I want to. Is this all right?"

Loki groaned quietly, licking his lips in anticipation before leaning his head back to look up at her and assuring her, " _Woman_ , you could ride my face until we both collapsed from exhaustion and I would be perfectly happy."

Smiling and blushing at that, Aemilia then reached out and braced herself with one hand on top of her headboard as she slid into position. She expected to feel a twinge of discomfort or hesitance at that point, being so incredibly exposed in a position she'd never been in before, but she felt nothing of the sort. All she needed to see was the hungry and dark way that Loki's eyes soaked up the sight of her, and she was more than ready to give him what he wanted.

Since he couldn't use his hands to position her, she carefully lowered herself down and tried to find the right balance, so that she was close enough for him to reach but not smothering him or very possibly _drowning_ him. He turned his head to the side and kissed her inner thigh first, closing his eyes and working his way up to her like he would have if she had been lying down and he had been the one above her. Then he turned his head to the other side and kissed her there too, the occasional gentle nip of his teeth sending hot sparks of pleasure through her veins until she couldn't take it anymore.

She grabbed him by his hair again and yanked his head back, placing him where she wanted him and telling him, "Stop teasing me."

"Eager, are you?" he teased.

"Only as much as you are," she replied before hushing him up rather creatively, giving his tongue something else to do other than talk. The moment that she felt the full contact of his mouth upon her, her eyes rolled shut and she let out a shaky exhale of pure pleasure. She kept one hand in his hair and the other on her headboard as she let her mind go blank and her instincts take over fully.

Just like she had set out to do, Aemilia used Loki for her own pleasure and took what she wanted from him, and Loki nearly enjoyed it as much as she did herself. She sunk into her role with the same ease that she did in her professional life, all grace and beauty and also complete and utter wantonness as she rocked against his face and used him like the good little servant that he was playing for her. He loved every last moment of it, wishing only that he had his hands free so that he could have grasped her hips and pulled her down closer and held her there, burying his face even more deeply within her, but instead she controlled _everything._ And that was all right too _._

Her grip on the headboard tightening, Aemilia let her head fall back and a moan escape her lips as her pleasure grew and grew with every new touch of his mouth. She hadn't known for sure how much this would be to her liking, but as it turned out, controlling her pleasure and riding his face like she was had the potential to become one of her new favorite things. The only downside to their current positions was his lack of ability to touch her with his hands, but she didn't hesitate to touch herself where she wanted to be touched - her hair, her neck, and especially her breasts. She teased and touched each one, torturing Loki more than she ever could have realized and making him ache at such an exquisite sight as she was.

She didn't want it to end, but eventually it had to. Grasping the headboard with both hands since her legs were trembling and she needed all the support that she could get, Aemilia rocked herself in an increasingly needy rhythm that Loki matched beautifully as his arms strained and his neck worked hard to support his efforts. Her body thrumming with her impending release, she tensed in anticipation and moved faster, holding on with white knuckles and willing her legs to not fail her as Loki brought her to the edge. The sounds coming from _his_ mouth were filthy, obscene things, and when she could finally take no more, her back arched and her head flew back and she moaned up to the ceiling and to the very heavens above, most likely waking at least a few neighbors in the process.

Loki wasn't sure that he'd ever seen anything so magnificent before than the sight that she made in that moment, so free and beautiful and _sinfully_ satisfied that he could have stared at her like that forever and would have been content.

She slowly came to a halt above his face, sighing and coming down from her high as she gently and carefully moved off of his face. Her legs were shaky and she hadn't caught her breath yet, so she settled down on top of the man beneath her and grinned lazily at him. His own breathing was quite heavy and rightfully so, as he had just performed quite the feat whilst being literally tied up, and Aemilia also noticed that his face was an absolute _mess_.

She reached out and ran her finger along his chin and the corners of his mouth, telling him in a low purr, "What a good boy you are, darling. Did you enjoy that?"

She slid her finger into his mouth and he happily sucked her wetness from it, closing his eyes and humming in appreciation. Then he opened his eyes and released her finger, replying, "I've enjoyed few things in my life as much as I enjoyed that."

She blushed and then kissed him, tasting herself on his lips. She slowly deepened the kiss, more than aware of how much he needed her and how desperate he was for her touch, and when she broke away she grinned, "Well, I hope you enjoy the rest of tonight just as much."

"That depends on what else you have in store for me, my dear," Loki replied, trying to lean up and capture her lips again. She let him, taking pity on him for a moment, but only for a moment. Then she pulled away and shot him another devious grin before leaning down and pressing an open-mouthed kiss to his neck, and thus began Loki's true torture.

Aemilia didn't waste a second that she had with him, devoting all of her attention to him and to driving him out of his mind with need. She kissed and touched him _everywhere_ , sensually exploring every inch of him and learning which spots made him jerk or gasp when she'd lick or nip them, and all the while he was nearly squirming with increasing desperation. She touched him everywhere except where he most wanted to, and after what felt like an eternity of this, Loki just about reached the end of his rope.

Tugging against his restraints as Aemilia dragged her tongue down the defined V of his hips, Loki groaned and bit out, "How long do you plan on torturing me?"

She lifted her head and smirked up at him, lazily dragging her fingertips up and down where her tongue had been. "As long as it takes for you to start begging me for more."

He let out a sound of sheer frustration and dropped his head back against the pillow beneath it. Aemilia simply grinned wider and started kissing her way up his body again, her hand still touching him everywhere - his hips, thighs, everywhere besides the place that would have given him some relief - and Loki continued to wage a losing battle with his self control. Once her lips were on his neck again, she straddled him and sat up straight on top of him, her hands dragging up his chest as she said, "I can see how badly you need me. I can feel it in how tense you are," she said, fingers pressing down on lean muscles for emphasis. "All you have to do is say _please_ and you can have me."

Loki stared up at her with a mixture of boundless desire and incredible irritation. "I don't beg," he told her, quite stubbornly refusing to give in even though it was rather self-defeating of him to do so.

"We'll see," she said, shifting her hips and grinding agonizingly slowly against him. They were pressed together as closely as they could be and he tried to thrust his hips upwards to take what he needed, but she never let him. Instead, she rocked down on him and slid herself up and down his length without taking him in, putting on a show for him while she was at it. She touched herself everywhere he couldn't, cupping her own breasts and caressing down her stomach, over her hips and, to his continuing doom, sliding one hand between her legs and giving herself a little bit of the relief that she refused to give him. And she didn't stop.

He hadn't expected that. He stared at her with wild eyes, breathing heavily through his mouth and watching as she looked him in the eye and rocked against her own hand on top of him. She bit her lip and then closed her eyes with pleasure, knowing exactly what she was doing to him as she leaned her head to the side and let out a moan that she didn't need to fake in the least.

"You're cruel," Loki told her, feeling as if he might simply expire if she kept _this_ up.

"You told me last time that you wanted to see this," she pointed out, fingers never faltering in their efforts. "I'm only giving you what you want."

"I want to feel you," he replied through halfway gritted teeth.

"Are you ready to say please?" Aemilia asked, moving her hand a little faster and using her other to tease her breast. Her breath hitched and she closed her eyes for just a few seconds before looking back at him and awaiting his answer.

In truth, he _was_ ready to beg. But the sight that she was providing him with was so incredibly hot that he decided to play a little game himself, raising his chin defiantly and restating, "I don't beg."

"What a shame," she sighed, squeezing her breast and sliding her fingers deeper. "If only you could, I could be fucking you instead of my own fingers."

Her filthy mouth nearly made him come undone without even a hint of physical contact. He was even rendered genuinely speechless for a moment, something that hadn't happened to him in _years_.

She grinned at his silence and picked up the pace, riding her own hand and sliding her other into her hair as her back arched and she felt herself edging closer. Getting herself off was never a difficult task, and doing it with Loki watching and being on top of him like she was only heightened her pleasure and got her there even faster. Before she knew it she was starting to tremble with pleasure, and she let out a whimper as she rocked down on her rapidly moving fingers and let the waves wash over her.

Loki wasn't going to survive the night. He was sure of this, and he was also sure that this woman just might be the most perfect match for him that the universe could have ever dreamed up.

Aemilia let herself down slowly, still moving her fingers lazily until the last little tremor was gone from her body. Then she relaxed and let out a contented sigh, opening her eyes and looking down to find Loki looking utterly _ravenous_. He reminded her almost of an animal the way that he was tied up and clearly struggling against his restraints, desperate to be free and likely eat her alive. But it wasn't time for that, not yet.

She lowered herself down, her chest pressing to his as she removed her hand and pressed a kiss to his jaw. He growled and turned his head towards her, his lips seeking hers, but she denied him as she lifted her head and gazed in his eyes with mischief dancing in hers.

"So stubborn," she noted, tracing his jaw and his lips. "You must be positively aching to be touched, aren't you?"

He didn't answer her, but he didn't need to. She reached her other hand between them, the one that was still slick from her own body, and she slid her palm over him and made him exhale sharply with just that one little touch. She smiled and said, "Oh, you poor thing... what do you want from me, darling? My hand?" She stroked him gently as she spoke, and his mouth fell open and he groaned for how badly he'd needed that touch. Then she leaned up and captured his lower lip between her teeth, making his eyes fly open just as she released his lip and then asked, "My mouth?"

"I want you to untie me," he told her, voice heavy with lust as she continued to touch him, "so that I can fuck you until you scream."

Her eyes darkened with desire and also with amusement as she asked, "Are you ready to beg me yet? If you ask me nicely, I might let you free."

He cursed under his breath, still staying silent, and as a result, she pulled her hand away. He made a sound of pure frustration and even slight anger, but all Aemilia did was laugh softly and press a kiss to the middle of his collarbone. Then she started trailing her kisses down lower, ignoring the sounds that he made and the slight way that he was thrashing, only looking up at him once she was down near his hips.

He strained to lift his head and meet her gaze, and once he did, she grasped him gently in her hand once more and said, "Beg me and maybe I'll think about letting you come."

Before he could say a word, she ran her tongue along his entire length and made him shudder and let out a sound of surprise that caught even himself off guard. She grinned up at him and then continued to mercilessly tease him, licking and rubbing and doing everything _but_ take him fully in her mouth. And Loki was absolutely beside himself with near-rage.

He had never felt that way before with anyone else, because he had never allowed himself to be toyed with like that and tortured to the point of such near-hysteria. But Aemilia was different, and where he would have lost his patience long ago and stopped enjoying himself with anyone else, he found this to be a sort of exquisite torture that he craved as much as he despised. It was the strangest thing, but it was so addicting that he couldn't quite bring himself to say the magic word and bring it all to an end.

That was at least until she finally took him into her mouth and he lost the ability to think or even breathe. She didn't drag it out or tease him anymore, instead giving him exactly what he wanted and needed for a few short, blissfully sweet moments. He watched her swallow him down, her focus on him and him alone, looking utterly sinful and gorgeous with her long red locks falling around her head in soft curtains. He wanted to bury his hand in that hair and thrust up into her mouth until he lost his mind, but both of her hands were holding his hips down and he still had no use of his hands. But that was all right, because her mouth felt like heaven and he could feel himself hurtling towards a spectacular end at record speed.

But then she stopped. She pulled away and left him hanging, aching for a release that she wouldn't give him, and he stared at her in a way that might have made her feel a bit guilty had she not been more than aware that his frustration was his own doing. She smiled sweetly at him and then crawled back up, gently tracing his jaw and telling him, "It's your fault, darling. I would have gladly taken everything you have to offer if you had only asked."

"You are maddening," he told her, a dark and tense edge to his voice. " _Infuriating_."

"Did you think I'd give into you so easily?" she asked. "Remember who's in control, Loki."

Then she kissed him, and he kissed her back almost brutally. He let out all of his frustration and anger in the kiss, teeth grazing her lip and his tongue waging war with hers, and as they kissed, their bodies tangled together nearly close enough to join them but not quite. He could feel the heat of her, feel her nearly _dripping_ on to his skin, and he found that he simply could not take anymore. He was done resisting, done playing this silly little game, and when they broke for air, he proved it.

"Please, Aemilia," he murmured against her lips. Her eyes opened in surprise and she watched him carefully as he looked into her eyes and said, " _Please_."

She raised an eyebrow and asked gently, "Please what?"

His voice was roughed and lower as he replied nearly through his teeth, "Untie me and let me have you."

"Do you really think you deserve that?" she asked with a little grin. It was so much _fun_ toying with him. "Do you deserve to have me?"

He shook his head. "I don't. But I might lose my sanity if I spend another moment unable to touch you."

She stared at him for a moment before nodding softly, losing the will to resist any longer. "All right. On one condition."

"Anything."

She kissed him on his lips, then dragged her mouth to his ear where she murmured, "I don't want you to be gentle. I want you to _fuck_ me, Loki," she said, and his groaned the minute he heard those words leave her lips. "Bruise me, bite me, I don't care. Be rough with me and don't hold back."

"You're sure?" he asked her, unwilling to fulfill any of her wishes without assurance that she truly knew what she was asking for.

She pulled back far enough to look him in the eye as she replied, "More than I've been sure of anything in a long time."

After searching her eyes for a moment, he nodded his consent. Then she leaned over him and began untying his poor aching arms from her bedpost, and the very minute that his hands were finally free at last, she found herself in his arms and their positions immediately changed. He grabbed her and had her on her back so fast that it made her dizzy, and then he looked down at her with his green ablaze with passion that made her heart nearly stop.

"You maddening... impossible... beautiful creature," he said, his voice somehow managing to sound both rough and silky in the same breath as he looked her up and down. His hand slid up between her breasts and over her chest to her neck, which he grasped without applying even the faintest bit of pressure as he added, "What have you done to me?"

"Nothing," she grinned with false innocence, gasping when he then growled and flipped her over on her stomach.

He grasped her hair and pulled her up to his chest with a firm, rough yank, and she let out a yelp of surprise at the sudden motion. Then he pressed his lips to her ear and murmured, " _Liar_ ," just before sinking his teeth into her neck with a bite that made her gasp with surprise and then moan from the pleasure-tinged pain. He soothed his tongue over the mark and then cupped both of her breasts with his hands, his arousal grinding against her and his voice just as rough as before as he then said, "You did this to me on purpose. You _wanted_ me to lose control."

Grinding herself back against him, Aemilia smiled and tilted her head back to look up at him. "Of course I did."

He leaned in close, their lips nearly brushing as he then told her in an almost sinister tone, "Be careful what you wish for, Little One."

Then he shoved her forward, her palms planting on the bed as she caught herself, and his fist in her hair kept her in place as he shoved her knees further apart. Aemilia's hands curled into fists in the sheets in anticipation, and then she was surprised to first feel a lone, slender finger brush against her, rather than what she had expected.

He leaned over her and pressed his lips between her shoulder blades, fingers toying with her as he murmured, "I should make you wait as you made me wait. Give you everything but what you really want. Should I?"

She moaned as his fingers pressed in deep. " _No_. Please, Loki." She didn't have the same aversion to begging that he did, and certainly not at that point.

Luckily for her, his patience ran out about an hour prior. He pulled his fingers out without warning and then gripped her thighs with both hands tightly as he yanked her back and thrust into her in one fluid motion. She cried out with the force of it, all of it as rough and hard as she had wanted, and he gave her no time to adjust before he started moving in an unyielding, powerful rhythm. That was fine with her, however, and she simply held on to the sheets beneath her as they both finally got what they wanted.

Loki took her wishes to heart, all but pounding into her and making sure there was nothing gentle about it. He gripped her thighs and hips so tightly they both knew she'd bruise the next day, and when he pulled her up to press her back to his chest, he left a string of sharp little bites down her neck and shoulder. The combined sensations of pain and pleasure were utterly intoxicating, and when he reached down to brush his fingers between her legs, she came almost instantly with a moan that was as surprised as it was uncontrollably loud.

After she came down, Loki let go of her and changed their positions, lying her down on her back and settling between her thighs with his eyes locked on hers. Her features were clouded with satisfaction but she wasn't finished yet, and as he looked over her beautiful, sweat-slicked form and she parted her legs wide for him, he told her, "You are more beautiful than words can say."

His words came out much more tenderly than he had expected, and they caught Aemilia by surprise too. She blinked and then reached out to him, running her fingers through his hair and enjoying the weight of him on top of her as she smiled, "So are you."

He smiled back at her, and they both felt something in that moment that they didn't fully understand. It was something deeper than lust, something that neither of them had felt in a very long time, and there was no time to analyze it before they were kissing once again. It was slower this time, sweeter too, and when Loki slipped inside of her again, it was gentle and slow and it made them both sigh with pleasure.

It didn't stay slow for very long, however. There was too much intensity between them for that, and before long, Loki was moving faster and Aemilia was sinking her nails into his back and moving with him, chasing her pleasure one last time. He knew just where to hit within her and how to make her moan, and when he felt them both nearing that precipice, he dropped his forehead down against hers and let unexpected words fall from his lips, against his better judgment.

"Aemilia," he groaned, stealing a kiss from her swollen lips, "look at me."

She opened her eyes, looking up at him through the haze of bliss in her mind. When their eyes met, his thrusts grew a little bit faster and he said just above a whisper, "Say my name when you come."

She whimpered a little bit, grasping him tighter in response and moaning as he continued to hit her _just_ right.

He buried his face in her neck next, kissing and nipping and leaving more marks for the next day, and what she first thought were inaudible, wordless murmurs turned out to repeated growls of the word _mine_. Once she realized what he was saying, her heart nearly stopped in her chest and everything suddenly became more than she could handle. She tightened her arms and legs around him and shook as her final release washed over her, and she did as he had told her to and moaned his name as she fell apart.

He followed her right after, the sight of her and the sound of his name spilling so blissfully from her gorgeous lips more than he could resist. It took him over without warning, and it was even better than the first time they'd slept together. It was overwhelming, all-encompassing, and her name might have been on his tongue as he groaned out his own end.

It was a perfect, sweet end to their night together, and together they slowly recovered in one another's arms. Loki rolled to the side to spare her lungs from suffocating, and she happily and bonelessly curled up against him, limbs entangling and bodies molding together effortlessly.

Aemilia's first coherent thought that popped into her head was his use of the word _mine_ and what it had meant. She laid there in silence for a bit, wondering if she should say something or not, but eventually her common sense told her to ask him about now rather than later. There was really no sense in waiting, after all.

"Loki?" she said quietly, fingers tracing idle patterns on his chest as his ran through her hair.

"Yes, darling?" he replied, voice heavy with satisfaction.

"What did you mean when you said _mine,_ towards the end?" she asked, looking up at him.

He hesitated, having known that was probably going to get him into trouble. He ended up sighing and replying, "I'm rather possessive sometimes. And to be honest, Aemilia, there's something about you that... brings that out in me."

She blushed a little bit, having not really expected that answer. "Oh." Then she paused and asked, "I don't mind. I was only asking because I was curious."

"Did you like it?" he asked. "Hearing me call you mine?"

She licked her lips and smiled, unable to hide the truth. "I... honestly, I loved it."

He grinned and touched her face, brushing his thumb along her jaw affectionately as he grinned. "I can say it as often as you'd like, darling."

"Only if you want it to be true," she told him, her own words taking her by slight surprise.

The feeling was mutual. "Would _you_ like it to be true?" Loki asked, faint disbelief in his eyes.

She paused, searching her mind for the right answer even though in reality, the truth of the matter was glaringly clear. "I think that I would."

"Are you sure?" he asked, gazing at her skeptically. "Considering my profession..."

"I know," she quickly replied. "But I don't care. I truly don't. You're... brilliant and fascinating and... I feel differently with you than I have with any other man before. I can't think of a single reason why we shouldn't try, see what happens." She paused. "If that's also what you want."

"It is," he replied without hesitation, a surprised smile on his face. "Honestly, I've hardly been able to stop thinking of you since the day I met you."

She smiled and kissed the pad of his thumb as it swept by her lips. "I can certainly say the same for myself."

Loki took a moment to admire her sweet, beautiful face before leaning down and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. He could hardly believe his good luck, but damn if he wasn't going to take advantage of it. This woman was _incredible_ , and he had a feeling that they would make quite the pair.

"I haven't been on a date in ages," he noted with a chuckle after their kiss came to an end, their noses brushing.

"Me either," she admitted with a quiet giggle of her own. "This should be fun."

"If our dates end the way this night did," he drawled suggestively, "then it's going to be _very_ fun."

She giggled again and continued to smile as he kissed her, her heart swelling with hope and excitement for the future. She didn't care what anyone might say about them - or what her own mother might say - and she didn't care if they were an unconventional or unorthodox pair. What mattered was who he was and who she was, and they clicked together on a level that far surpassed her wildest dreams. And there was no way that she would pass up the opportunity to see where a relationship just might lead if they gave it a shot.

One thing was for sure. Summer was going to absolutely die when Aemilia told her _all_ about all of this in the morning.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: aaaaand another new chapter! This one is a little more focused on Bucky and Summer than the last one, and once again, the italicized portions are flashbacks of the... slashy nature :p For the first time ever in my published fics, I'm throwing some Bucky/Loki (Lucky! :D) action at you guys, and I'm rather interested to see how you'll all feel about it. And as usual, if it's not your cup of tea, just skip :D My plan now is to get back to LAD and buckle down on that, so the next update coming up should be for that. Thank you guys SO MUCH for your reviews and follows, I adore each and every one of you, and I look forward to hearing from you all! :D**

Bucky Barnes had never been one to watch a woman sleep, but then again, the woman whose bed he was currently sharing had him breaking all kinds of rules from the very start.

The night before, he had accompanied Summer home to her place after they had left the after-party following the opera, and from there the night had gone like it always seemed to whenever they were in each other's presence. He'd barely been able to keep his hands off of her in the cab, having been tortured by her beauty and her silly, infectious charm all night long, and by the time they had made it inside her apartment and closed the door, they were on each other like starved and insatiable creatures. She wasn't as shy with him anymore, that night being the fourth that they'd shared, but he still made her blush and squirm every time he murmured a string of filthy words into her ear or moaned with deep appreciation as he buried his face between her legs. He hoped that she never stopped blushing like that, because he absolutely _loved_ that about her.

After not one but two passionate and slightly chaotic rounds - one in her bed, the other on her dresser and then against the wall and finally on the floor - they'd curled up with each other and spent nearly two hours talking before sleep overtook them. They could talk as easily as they could touch, and he never got sick of hearing her laugh or giggle as she told a story or shyly asked him a question about his line of work. They both felt remarkably comfortable with each other, and the more that he was around her, the more transfixed he became with all of the little quirks and traits that made Summer _Summer_.

And that was what led him to his current and rather unexpected position, lying next to the peacefully sleeping woman with his head propped up on his hand, eyes trailing down from her tranquil face to her soft black hair as it spilled over her shoulder, all the way to the sheet just barely concealing her bare chest from his eyes. The sun had risen a few hours before, and a few rays filtered in through her shaded windows just enough to show him how beautiful she looked bathed in the early morning light.

There were dark little marks littering her neck on each side, marks that his mouth had put there as she had rocked in his lap and he had sucked on her skin hard enough to leave the bruises. He liked leaving evidence of his actions behind, hoping that she caught glimpses of them throughout the day and thought of him and how she had felt when he'd been giving them to her. She didn't need to leave marks on _him_ like that, however, because he always came away from their encounters smelling her hair on his skin and pretending not to desperately want to see her again.

She had a way of getting under his skin and staying in his mind long after they'd parted, and if he was being honest, that only became more true the more that he saw her. He was glad that she'd let him stay the night, because he hadn't been ready to leave her when the night had finally come to an end. A woman hadn't made him feel like that since... well, it was definitely a _long_ time ago.

It wasn't _just_ the sex that kept him coming back, even though sometimes he liked to try to rationalize and pretend that was the case. It wasn't hard to do, because he wasn't exaggerating when he said that it was the best sex of his life. And coming from a man who quite literally had sex for a living, that was saying something. She was shy and wild at the same time, always a little unsure of herself and yet so fucking _perfect_ and responsive and sensual that she always left his head spinning. And each time, it only got better.

But there was still more to it than just that. Bucky knew this, but it didn't mean that he was ready to accept it just yet. He was far too skilled at protecting himself and preventing himself from being hurt for that. Instead, he simply watched the slow, steady rise and fall of her ample chest, admiring her beauty and adoring how peaceful and sweet she looked in those stolen moments.

It took him by surprise then when she began to stir. She let out a deep breath and shifted her limbs around a little, turning her head closer to his direction and still not waking. Her slight jostling about managed to pull the sheet down just enough to slip past one breast and expose it, and naturally, Bucky couldn't help but smile as he admired the sight.

He thought about pulling the sheet back up for her, knowing she'd probably be embarrassed if she woke up like that, even though she had no reason to be. But he changed his mind when she shifted again, this time letting out a soft little sound as she stretched her legs and this time caused the sheet to also slide down her other breast. He smiled to himself, finding it kind of funny especially since Summer was absolutely oblivious and still quite asleep.

She really was _gorgeous_. He thought back to the night before, his mind tripping over a few of the highlights until he settled on when he'd been taking her against the wall. She had held on to his hair and his back and had moaned and sunk her nails into his skin as he had pounded into her, loving it as much as he was despite the roughness and potential bruising on her lower back. That was the thing about her - she liked it rough, but she hadn't really known that before he came along. He loved how surprised she was whenever she'd enjoy a sting of pain or want it harder, and he loved being the one to broaden her horizons. He loved it a _lot_. Too much, maybe.

As his eyes slipped down to her bare breasts and then back up to her pretty face, he couldn't help but to reach out and touch her. He slid just the backs of his fingers along her jaw, a ghost of a touch that didn't rouse her or even disturb her steady breathing pattern. Then he trailed his fingertips down the side of her neck, along her collarbone, and he watched as goosebumps erupted in the wake of his touch. But she still didn't stir.

He couldn't blame her. He _had_ worn her out rather well the night before.

He watched her carefully as his fingers slid to one of her breasts. His touch there was feather-soft, deliberately so, and his eyes stayed locked on her face as gently rubbed his thumb over her nipple. _That_ made her stir, twisting her hips slightly under the sheet as she squirmed a little, and he thought for her sure that her eyes would open and she'd wake. Instead, she let out a breath and arched slightly into his touch, and he couldn't help but grin. He suddenly wanted to see what all she could take before she finally fully woke.

Slowly and gently, he leaned in close and pressed his lips to her collarbone as his hand slid lower, over her belly. She shifted again, and he kissed a trail up to her neck as his hand continued to slide lower, along her side and her hip and down her thigh, then back up again. He pressed a kiss to the underside of her jaw as his hand then brushed feather-softly between her legs, and that was what finally did the trick. She awoke with a gasp, eyes flying open and body jerking at the contact, and Bucky chuckled and grinned widely as he lifted his head and looked into her bewildered eyes. He didn't move his hand.

"Hey, sweetheart," he drawled, and Summer smiled and giggled while she blinked and her brain tried to adjust to being awake and what he'd been doing as she slept.

"Oh my gosh," she muttered with a huge smile, hands automatically going to his shoulders and then his hair. "Holy crap. You wake girls up like this all the time?"

He shook his head, lazily moving his fingers against her and making her breath hitch. "You're the first."

She closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath, grip on his hair tightening as he continued to toy with her. She squirmed pleasantly under his soft touch and sighed when he dropped his head back down, kissing over the little bruises on her neck and teasing his tongue over what he knew by now was one of her most sensitive spots. "I thought I was dreaming."

He chuckled against her skin, murmuring, "Good dream?"

" _Really really_ good dream," she replied with a sleepy smile just before he lifted his head and smiled back before sweetly kissing her lips.

Then, after he pulled away from the kiss, he removed his fingers and then said lowly, "I can make it better." Then he kissed her neck, trailing his lips down her throat and then to her collarbone, his hand bringing down the sheet over her more and more the lower he went, and once his intent became more than clear, Summer bit her lip and watched him as he made his way down.

Keeping with the theme of the lazy, slow morning, he took his time getting to where he wanted to go. He spent a few moments focused solely on her breasts, his attention there making Summer nearly writhe with need already, and he knew he had her just where he wanted her by the time he managed to tear himself away and rained kisses down her belly. By then the sheet was down somewhere near their knees, and to Bucky's surprise, she hesitated to open her legs for him when he gently pushed on one of her inner thighs and moved to settle down between them.

He looked up and shot her a quizzical look. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she immediately replied, though the blush on her cheeks and the way that she chewed her lip said otherwise. "It's just... uh..."

"I've done this to you _a lot,_ " he noted with a grin, not mentioning that he knew the exact number of times in his head. This time would make seven, even though they'd only hooked up four separate times. "Why get shy on me now?"

"Well, because... it's... morning, and... the room's kinda... bright. Brighter than usual," she admitted, smiling nervously and blushing so brightly her face felt like it was on fire.

Bucky tilted his head just slightly and gave her a knowing look. She cringed a little, wishing she hadn't said anything, but it was too late now and he wasn't going to let this go without making sure that she knew she had nothing to be worried about.

"Summer," he said in a low purr, taking her legs and slowly spreading them, maintaining eye contact as he did, "you're beautiful. _Everywhere,_ all of you _._ Every part of you is fucking gorgeous, and you should know by now that seeing you in the daylight's only gonna make me want you more."

She couldn't even express the way that he made her feel when he said things like that. Truthfully, he had been working wonders for her self esteem since the day she met him, and this morning in particular was no different.

"Trust me," he told her, dropping a kiss to her inner thigh and then another, inching his way up. "I _love_ this."

Then his mouth was on her, proving his words beyond a shadow of a doubt, and Summer's self-consciousness flew out the window. She suddenly had much, much better things to focus on, like how good Bucky was with his mouth and the little sounds of appreciation and enjoyment that he made as he slowly began to take her apart. He was lazy about it, savoring it and letting it build and build until she was gasping and moaning, holding her own hair with one hand and covering one of his as it tightly gripped her thigh and held her still as he devoured her. Then when her end finally hit her, it felt like it lasted forever and came in waves that had her seeing stars and possibly waking the neighbors with the sounds that flew out of her mouth.

It was definitely one hell of a way to wake up, that was for sure. Summer wouldn't have minded getting used to it, but she knew better than to get her hopes up for _that_.

Bucky let her have a few moments to breathe after she came down, letting his mouth wander along her hip and lower stomach, almost excruciatingly slowly making his way back up. He was starved for attention himself, aching and all worked up from watching and _feeling_ Summer fall apart, and when his lips finally touched Summer's again, she welcomed him with a hungry kiss of her own and her legs wrapping around his hips and pulling him down against her.

He groaned into her mouth and ground against her slowly, their bodies sliding hotly together in a way that was starting to feel like second nature. They kissed deeply and hungrily, not a word passing between them as Summer shifted her hips and pushed up against him in an open invitation. He took it for what it was, not even breaking their kiss as he slid inside of her and found some of the relief that he'd desperately needed.

She sighed and he moaned, both of the sounds mingling between their slightly open mouths as they breathed against each other's lips. Bucky started moving slowly, just as lazily as he had approached everything else that morning, and it was just what they had both wanted. His thrusts were slow and measured, and he could feel every inch of her and her warmth as it surrounded him, the heat between them drowning out the rest of the world and everyone else in it. There was only them and only those sweet, languid moments, and they dragged it out for as long as they could.

Summer made a soft sound of surprise when Bucky flipped them over, looking up at her with passion clouding his blue eyes and his hands grasping her hips, urging her to move. She didn't hesitate to oblige, sitting straight up and giving him a view that almost made him lose his mind right then. The sunlight hit her body and her messy dark hair and made her look like nothing short of a goddess in his eyes, riding him until her thighs began to ache and she laid down on top of him, kissing him and continuing to ride him like that until they both felt themselves nearing the end.

Chest to chest and tongues entwined like they had been made for each other, Bucky held her with one arm around her back and the other on her hip, meeting each rock of her hips with an equally needy one of his own. Summer broke the kiss only when she felt his fingers digging harshly into her skin, a telltale sign of how close he was, and then she picked up the pace and held on just long enough to watch him fall apart first. It was always a thing of beauty to watch, his eyes falling shut and brows furrowing slightly, lips parting and breath rushing out in a quiet but deep gasp just before a low, rough moan would follow. His body would tighten and then shudder in sync with his breaths as it all washed over him, and Summer didn't think she'd ever not be awed by his beauty in those completely unguarded moments. It was always enough to push her over the edge with him, and that time was no exception.

After, they laid there still tangled up in one another, bodies damp with sweat and still catching their breaths in each other's arms. Summer laid draped over him, her eyes closed and body exhausted all over again as he traced soft lines up and down her spine. It was soothing and sweet, and if Summer was being honest, she could have stayed like that forever and been happy. She loved the way that she felt with him - safe, desired, worthy of being treated as well as he treated her - and though their relationship thus far was the very definition of casual, she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if they dated for real.

Her thoughts put her in quite the pickle, then, when Bucky asked her, "What are you thinking about?"

She opened her eyes and smiled to herself, not even considering being honest. "Just... stuff."

"Stuff?" he grinned, eyes still closed.

"Stuff... stuff and things," she replied, barely stifling a giggle.

Bucky laughed, and she felt the rumble in his chest against her skin. "You kill zombies in your spare time?"

"All the time," she nodded. "Don't judge my double life."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Bucky replied, still wearing a half grin. "In my free time I moonlight as a super secret assassin, so you know, I don't judge."

Summer burst into giggles as soon as those words left his mouth. "You, an assassin?"

"I'm very feared," he nodded, trying to keep a straight face but failing. "Very prolific. I may have even killed JFK."

"... That would make you like... what... 70? 80? At least?" Summer giggled.

"Yeah, well, see, I'm so badass they... scientifically... preserve me," Bucky shrugged.

"How? And why? Because young and hot assassins are better than old wrinkly ones?"

Bucky paused and then chuckled, "I don't know. Stop asking so many questions. It's top secret."

"Oh, right, right, my bad," Summer smiled, moving so that her chin was propped up on his chest and she could look up at him. He smiled down at her and she smiled back, and after a brief burst of courage, she said, "So, question."

"What?" he grinned, honestly having no idea what to expect. He tucked a stray dark lock of hair behind her ear, loving how easy it felt to be with her like this and how comfortable it was.

"Well, I was gonna ask you last night, but then I got... distracted..."

His lips curled up into a rather self-satisfying grin. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," she admitted, glancing down shyly. "But... anyway, so. New Year's, 2014."

Bucky immediately groaned and closed his eyes. " _Fuck_. I knew you were gonna ask about that sooner or later."

She smiled wider and slid off of him, curling up at his side instead of laying directly on top of him. He shifted to face her, her head cradled comfortably on his arm, and she said, "You might as well just spill it. If you don't, Loki will."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "He'd enjoy that way too much. _Fine_. I'll tell you."

She smiled with glee. "Yay!"

He sighed and replied, "It's really not _that_ big of a deal... he just likes to make it sound that way."

"I'll be the judge of that. Now tell me before I explode and die from anticipation."

He chuckled and nodded, bringing the memories to the forefront of his mind and starting off with, "It wasn't the first time we got hired together. We'd done maybe... I don't know, three or four jobs together before this happened. So we were both pretty comfortable with everything, but this woman was... well, she was different from the clients we'd taken before."

* * *

 _It was New Year's Eve, December 31, 2014, and the party was insane. In fact, Bucky was fairly sure that this one might take the cake for craziest party of his life, and that was saying something for a guy who'd gone to college with_ Loki _._

 _Unlike those experiences, this time the insanity was for a job. It was all business, and one of the perks of being in the business that both Bucky and Loki were in was occasionally getting to party it up well in advance of their_ duties _and get paid to do it. That was exactly the case that night, and he was definitely having a good time._

 _Honestly, Bucky didn't know why more guys didn't do this job. Especially on nights like these._

 _"I haven't been this drunk in forever," Bucky admitted to Loki, yelling over the music after they'd just downed their latest round of shots. "I feel great."_

 _"Pace yourself," Loki warned him with a grin. "I don't need you throwing up on our client once the night really gets started."_

 _Bucky scoffed and replied, "Please. I haven't puked since freshman year."_

 _Loki hummed and then watched as Bucky nicked a bottle of vodka that someone left sitting nearby and poured them both more. Then he glanced across the room, paused, and leaned in closer to Bucky to say, "She's over there with her friends."_

 _Bucky followed Loki's gaze to the woman in question, and he watched for a moment as she laughed and took a few drinks herself. Her name was Kate and she was in her late thirties, and she was rather wealthy and also very single. She was blonde and fit and attractive enough to never have to pay for sex, and yet she'd hired both Loki and Bucky for the night. She invited them to the party beforehand and had treated them like guests of honor all night in between undressing them both with her eyes and clearly growing ever more excited to get them alone._

 _"She told me something a little while ago, while you were wandering around looking for a bathroom," Loki told him next._

 _"What?" Bucky asked, raising the shot glass to his lips._

 _Loki grinned at him and casually replied, "Apparently, she considers herself to be quite the little dominatrix, and she also mentioned how much she likes to watch first and join in later."_

 _Bucky paused just before he would have tipped the glass back and drained it. He looked at Loki and then sighed, "I should have known."_

 _"Oh don't look so glum," Loki rolled his eyes. "Have I ever not made sure you thoroughly enjoyed yourself every time we've been hired together?"_

 _Bucky would later blame it on the alcohol, but he actually blushed a little and looked away. His eyes landed back on Kate, who was now looking their way as well, and Loki noticed this and decided to take advantage of it by leaning in even closer to Bucky, so close that his lips grazed Bucky's ear and his breath felt hot on his neck. Glancing at Kate and then focusing entirely on Bucky, Loki then said in an unfairly seductive and dark tone in his ear, "Act however you wish,_ James _, but don't delude yourself - I know exactly how much you enjoy my attention. You can act like its only for show, for the sake of the clients, but we both know you're not nearly as good of a liar as I am."_

 _Bucky's face becoming embarrassingly flushed and his heartbeat betraying him by speeding up in his chest, he clenched his jaw and noticed that they had Kate's full attention. Loki deliberately lingered where he was before slowly drawing back and glancing her way next. He raised an eyebrow at her as if to ask when they were going to get started, and she shot them both a rather suggestive grin and then began making her excuses to her friends._

 _"There," Loki said triumphantly. "Are you ready?"_

 _Bucky finally threw back what ended up being his last shot of the night, and then he replied, "Let's do it."_

 _Deep down, he knew that Loki was right. He was going to enjoy every minute of what was coming and he actually couldn't wait for it._

 _He would have owned up to it and just told Loki if it wouldn't have only served to further inflate his ego. But he knew that's all it would do, so he kept his mouth shut as per usual and got ready to go to work._

 _It was already the new year by the time the three of them were headed to their hotel room._

* * *

 _Kate took them to a nice and rather spacious hotel room, and at first, the night went as most of their jobs did. A bit of talking, a bit of ground rules, and then finally getting started. She began things the way that a lot of their women did - shedding her dress to reveal stunning and expensive lingerie, and then kissing both Bucky and Loki to get her first little taste of them._

 _She, however, was not most women. Rather than draw them into bed with her and place herself in what was essentially a sandwich between them, which was what they were used to, she pushed them both down on to the bed next to each other alone and told them with a grin, "Put on a show for me."_

 _She cupped Bucky's chin as she said this, and he lowered his head and dropped a soft kiss to the center of her palm. She looked at him with surprise and amusement, and when he lifted his head back up and met her gaze, she asked, "You're not usually submissive like this, are you?"_

 _He shook his head. "No. But I can be whatever you want me to be."_

 _She grinned and then turned to Loki, running a hand through his hair. "And you?"_

 _"I prefer to be in control nearly always," he replied, raking his eyes over her body in a way that was designed to make her feel like she was incredibly desirable. It was successful._

 _She tilted her head a bit, smiling at him and then looking at Bucky, the wheels in her head turning. Then she told him, "I want you to do everything Loki tells you to do."_

 _"Yes, ma'am," Bucky replied instantly, slipping into the role of a submissive rather easily. It was okay, however, because he trusted Loki, and trust was absolutely essentially in a situation like this. He probably couldn't have done it with anyone else, certainly not anyone else he was acquainted with in his line of work._

 _"And you," she told Loki, "can control him and make him do anything you want, but you both answer to me. So be good and give me a nice, long show, okay?"_

 _They both nodded, and she shot them one last little devious grin before settling herself down in a nearby chair that gave her a perfect view of them. That was when Bucky, blood still hot from the alcohol and head pleasantly fuzzy, turned to Loki and gave him a look that all but begged for his touch. His eyes said what his words wouldn't, and Loki knew this as he leaned forward and placed two long fingers under Bucky's chin to tilt his head up._

 _"Do you want this?" Loki asked, lips less than an inch from Bucky's own._

 _Bucky nodded. "Yes."_

 _Loki raised an eyebrow. "Yes what?"_

 _Bucky stared at him for a moment before it clicked in his head what he was supposed to say. He blinked and then replied, "Yes sir."_

 _Loki would have been lying if he had said that a jolt of excitement didn't immediately shoot through his veins the minute the word left his friend's mouth. He let out a breath that was also a faint groan and then kissed Bucky, hardly for the first time ever but for the first time that night._

 _Despite Bucky's outward behavior earlier that night, he almost immediately sunk into the kiss and let go of whatever supposed objections he was trying to pretend existed. The truth of the matter was, while Bucky had kissed quite a few women in his lifetime, Loki was the only man that he had ever kissed or had ever even wanted to kiss. He didn't think that he was an equal opportunity lover the way that Loki himself was, but when it came to Loki and what they did for a living and the sort of stuff that came with the territory every so often... well, he certainly didn't have to pretend to enjoy himself. Loki could, to put it bluntly, get him hard and aching in a matter of seconds, and Bucky had ceased trying to question it or make sense of it long ago._

 _Loki kissed him slowly at first, purely for the sake of the show he was trying to put on for their client. He teased Bucky with soft, gentle kisses that weren't nearly enough and almost cruel that way, but it was for a purpose. It coaxed Bucky into kissing him back harder, trying to take what he wanted, and that was exactly what Loki had hoped he would do. He was trying to show exactly how much Bucky was already into this, whether for Kate or Bucky's sake, he couldn't be sure._

 _Either way, it didn't stop Bucky from bringing both hands up to cup Loki's face and just slightly tilting his head as he kissed Loki again. This time Loki parted his lips and the woman watching them could see the moment their tongues touched, the slide of them together making both men groan and Loki lose his patience. They kissed deeply and increasingly furiously as the moments dragged on, Bucky's hands in his hair and wandering elsewhere while Loki started quietly but efficiently undoing the buttons of Bucky's shirt. Bucky barely even noticed._

 _Loki broke the kiss to push Bucky's shirt off of his shoulders, and once it was off and on the floor, Bucky looked at him with his blue eyes full of heat and desire that he'd claim Loki imagined the next day. Loki let his eyes drop and drag slowly up and down Bucky's now half-naked body, and then he looked him in the eye again and told him, "Stand up and strip. Then undress me."_

 _Bucky didn't hesitate to comply. He never did, Loki thought, briefly thinking back to the times they'd done things like this before. As Bucky stripped off the rest of his clothes - maintaining eye contact all the while - Loki wondered just how far Bucky would let himself be pushed tonight. He was not naturally submissive, but between the alcohol and arousal and Bucky's commitment to making sure every client walked away completely satisfied, Loki had a feeling that Bucky would fit the role quite beautifully._

 _That was confirmed the moment that Bucky, now naked, glanced back at Kate before turning to Loki and stepping closer to him. He put his hands on Loki's knees and then knelt down between them, the sight of Bucky naked with his knees on the floor between his legs almost making Loki moan right there on the spot. He knew right then at that moment what he wanted from Bucky that night, but it wasn't quite time for that yet._

 _Bucky looked Loki in the eye as he undressed him. He started with his shirt, carefully and almost maddeningly slowly opening each button with fingers that worked surprisingly well for how intoxicated he was. Once the shirt was halfway open, Bucky leaned forward and pressed his lips just under Loki's throat, kissing down lower with each new inch of skin that he exposed. He stopped just above Loki's navel, which was when he pulled the shirt off and let it fall to the floor. Then he leaned up and kissed Loki on the lips again, but only for a moment before dropping back down fully on both knees and bringing his hands to Loki's belt._

 _"You make quite a sight like this," Loki told him, voice low and smooth as velvet as he reached down cupped Bucky's jaw. "I always knew how pretty you'd look on your knees for me."_

 _Bucky stared back at him in a way that was probably meant to be either annoyed or deadpan but instead came off as simply more heated and needy. Belt undone, Bucky opened the button of his pants as Loki ran his thumb along his lower lip. Bucky then softly kissed the pad of his thumb, still looking Loki in the eye, and Loki suddenly had an idea._

 _He brought two fingers to Bucky's mouth, brushing the tips of them against his lips before Loki murmured, "Suck."_

 _Bucky's eyes flashed in a way that said_ I know exactly what you're up to _, but he did exactly as he was told and parted his lips to pull those long, graceful fingers into his mouth. He pulled the rest of Loki's clothes down his legs as he gently sucked, closing his eyes for a few seconds and letting his tongue flick against the fingers as if they were something else entirely. Then, because he knew how to put on a damn good show and he was a maddening little jerk, Bucky moaned softly and then opened his eyes to look Loki in the eye again. Loki stared at him like he was ready to utterly devour him._

 _Clothes off and patience officially gone, Loki groaned and withdrew his fingers before leaning forward and capturing Bucky's lips in a kiss that they both desperately needed. It was always an interesting contrast when they kissed, between Loki's precision and skill and Bucky's slightly sloppy, consuming way that he kissed, but it all came together in a spectacular collision every time it happened. This time was no different, maybe even better than before thanks to their positions and how much they were enjoying giving their client what she wanted._

 _"Look at you like this," Loki said when their kiss finally broke, admiring Bucky with heated green eyes and his fingers under his chin to keep his head tipped up. "Blushing and on your knees for me. You enjoy being mine to command, don't you?"_

 _"Yes sir," Bucky obediently replied, and Loki didn't think for a moment that he was only saying it for the sake of the show._

 _"Do you want me to touch you? I can see how badly you need it," he said next, eyes dropping down lower between them._

 _"Please, sir," Bucky all but groaned, and if Loki hadn't been the committed bastard that he was, might have given Bucky what he wanted. But it wasn't time for that yet._

 _"I will," Loki assured him, running his fingers though Bucky's hair and letting them trail down the back of his neck. "Believe me, I will. But you're my plaything right now, yes?" Bucky's eyes flashed again but he nodded anyway, and Loki went on, "I can tell how much you're enjoying this. You didn't think you would, but you are. And you make a beautiful sub, you truly do."_

 _"Thank you, sir," Bucky said, a little lopsided grin on his face._

 _Then Loki was again touching Bucky's mouth, which if he was honest, he had always admired from the moment they'd met. The shape, color, and softness of his lips made them a pleasure to look at and imagine in certain filthy situations, one of which Loki currently wanted so badly he hoped against hope that Bucky would play along and go with it. There was the chance that he wouldn't, but... Loki doubted that._

 _"Your mouth is utterly sinful," Loki told him, tracing his lower lip as Bucky continued to stare up at him. "Your lips are almost as soft as a woman's. Almost."_

 _"Where do you want my lips?" Bucky asked, giving Loki's finger a soft, playful little nip. Then he said in a soft, deliberately sweet voice, "Tell me what to do, sir."_

 _Loki nearly lost his breath. Bucky was playing the game entirely too well._

 _"You like taking my orders?" Loki asked, taking one of Bucky's hands that had been planted on the bed next to Loki's hips. He placed the hand in his lap, right on top of his arousal, and Bucky immediately curled his hand around him and nodded. Bucky moved his hand up and down once, and it was enough to make Loki shudder as he groaned, "What a good little soldier you are."_

 _Bucky grinned, continuing to work his hand and watch as Loki's breaths grew slowly heavier. After a moment or two, Bucky looked down and watched his own hand, something coming over him in that moment that gave him the idea to do what he did next. The first time Loki's eyes fell closed, Bucky leaned forward and licked him - just a little bit, more out of curiosity than anything - and just like that, Loki suddenly jerked with pleasure and surprise, and he grabbed Bucky by his hair and didn't let him pull away._

 _"Don't even think about it," Loki warned him, pointedly pushing his head closer to what Bucky still had a tight grip on. With their eyes locked, Loki told him, "Do it."_

 _"Yes, sir," Bucky said breathlessly before giving in and doing exactly as he was told. He'd never done this before and he couldn't believe he was doing it now, but a part of him wanted to and all of him wanted to see Loki fall apart and know that it was his mouth that had made it happen. And now wasn't the time to question such a thing._

 _Eager as he was, he took Loki slowly into his mouth and took his time adjusting to what he was doing. Despite his inexperience, he knew what he liked and what his favorite techniques and tricks were, so he didn't worry about doing poorly or not being good enough. He was a man, after all. He knew exactly what felt best for a man, but that didn't mean that he wasn't going to take his time and ensure success. Besides, Loki had even more experience than Bucky did - with both men and women - and Bucky didn't want to disappoint._

 _So he started slow. He consciously relaxed his throat as best he could and with each slide of his mouth, he took the other man in a little deeper and picked up the pace. What he couldn't take in he worked with his hand, and after a moment or two of getting the hang of doing what he was doing, he drew back a bit and looked up at Loki's face._

 _Loki was watching him intently, breathing through his mouth and trying to maintain his self-control. When their eyes met, Bucky took it as an opportunity to take his mouth off of Loki entirely and let his tongue and hand do the work for a moment. That provided Loki with a sight that he was quite sure he could never forget._

 _Taking a moment to lick his slightly reddened and already swollen lips, Bucky looked up at Loki with false innocence and asked, "Am I being good, sir?"_

 _"You're being perfect," Loki told him, giving his head another gentle nudge. "More."_

 _Bucky obediently complied, and he dropped the slow, teasing act. This time he took Loki in as far as he could take him, and he quickly worked out a rhythm that made Loki groan aloud and have to physically restrain himself from pushing and thrusting up into Bucky's throat. He didn't want to overwhelm him or choke him but he could hardly control himself, and that was saying something for a man of Loki's almost impeccable self-control._

 _The faster Bucky's head moved up and down, the more Loki moaned and the harder he breathed. Their client watched in awe as Loki's head tipped back, eyes closed and fingers buried in Bucky's short dark hair, a rough groan leaving his lips just before Bucky unexpectedly pulled away and looked up at him again._

 _Loki's head snapped back up and he was about to order the other man back to work when Bucky unexpectedly and breathlessly asked him, "Can I touch myself?"_

 _... Loki couldn't possibly be mad at the interruption when Bucky asked him so very nicely and almost desperately for such a thing. "Yes," Loki nodded, and Bucky's unoccupied hand immediately went to himself as he let out a grateful, needy groan of his own. Loki watched him for a moment, the rock of Bucky's arm and the furrow of his brow as he gave himself some relief, and then Bucky licked his lips and dropped his head back down and made Loki nearly gasp at the new and almost ruthless onslaught of pleasure that he was suddenly being bombarded with._

 _After that, Bucky fell back into a rhythm that pleased them both, touching himself as he gave his mouth and jaw the workout of his life. It reminded Loki of the way he kissed - deep and hot and just the right amount of sloppy - and Loki could barely stand it. He couldn't hold himself back anymore, rocking up just enough to let himself move before he lost his mind. Bucky let him, going with it and moving both his mouth and his hand faster, both of his rhythms still perfectly in sync and increasingly chaotic as the seconds passed in a haze of pleasure and unexpected - or perhaps fully expected - passion._

 _Bucky moaned around the other man, his own hand moving quicker and quicker up and down himself, and his moan became a muffled and broken cry when Loki pulled hard on his hair in response to a particularly strong wave of pleasure that wracked through his very bones. Loki could feel himself nearing the edge, knowing he wouldn't last much longer, and he became a mess of uncontrollable noises as he attempted to warn his friend._

 _"I'm... Bucky, I'm -"_

 _Bucky understood his meaning, and he responded only by moving faster and not daring to break his rhythm. He was so far gone in so many ways and he simply didn't care anymore, and to come this far without seeing it through to the end seemed like a ridiculous waste of time and effort. So he took his hand off of himself and put both hands on Loki's hips to hold him as still as possible while also assuring him that he was not going to finish some other way._

 _Almost as soon as Bucky clutched him like that, Loki gave in and stopped trying to fight it. Still holding Bucky's hair in a grip so tight he knew that it hurt, Loki looked down and watched his friend's head bob up and down and listened to the obscene and filthy sounds coming from his wet mouth, and that was when it all finally hit him like a tidal wave breaking over his head. He fell apart with a loud, desperate, and deliciously satisfied moan that almost sent Bucky over the edge as well, all the while holding Bucky's head close in an iron grip and not letting him move as incredible relief washed over every nerve ending in his body._

 _Bucky had thought he was prepared for that moment, but he wasn't. He choked and sputtered a little until his brain caught up with the rest of him, and after a haphazard and almost embarrassingly loud gulp or two, Loki's grip on his hair relaxed along with the rest of his body, and Bucky pulled away with a gasp as he sucked in a huge breath of air. Slightly exhausted and jaw aching - and his throat possibly a bit sore - Bucky dropped his cheek on Loki's thigh and tried to catch his breath._

 _Bucky opened his eyes just before Loki did, which allowed him to catch a few seconds of Loki leaning back on his elbows, eyes shut and chest heaving up and down in pure satisfaction. Then Loki opened his eyes and caught other man's gaze, at which point Bucky reached up to a corner of his mouth to wipe away a few drops that he hadn't managed to swallow before it could drip down and off of his face. Bucky maintained eye contact as he then put his thumb to his lips and sucked it off, and the way that Loki looked at him as he did it made Bucky almost want to whimper._

 _Maybe he'd be embarrassed in the morning - probably not, though - but either way, he didn't care. At the moment, he felt nothing but pride for the limp, satisfied mess that he had reduced Loki to._

 _After that dirty little display, Loki took a deep breath and brought his hand back to Bucky's hair, stroking lazily through the short strands as he exhaled and murmured, "Good boy."_

 _Bucky grinned and closed his eyes, all but nuzzling into his hand. "Thank you, sir."_

 _Across from the bed, their client was more than ready to join in and get her money's worth. Loki would be ready for more in a bit, and Bucky was desperate to find some relief of his own, and he knew that it would come soon once she stood up and made her way over to the bed._

 _The night was far from over, but the part that would stand out most vividly in both men's memories was. Just another perk of the job, Bucky supposed._

* * *

Summer was dumbfounded, bewildered, and now incredibly turned on all over again.

She uttered the only words that she could think of at a moment like that. "Holy fricking frick on a motherfricking stick."

Bucky laughed, possibly a little flushed from retelling the story - though he'd insist that he wasn't - and he shrugged, "Like I said, it's not actually that huge of a deal, but..."

She shook her head. "No... no, yes it is. It's a really big fricking deal because that's like the hottest story I've ever heard."

"Really?" he asked, arching a brow, smile lingering on his face.

"Yeah, I, uh... I'm pretty sure I just flooded the bed," she replied, immediately cringing despite the truth of her statement. "I mean, like... you're both so hot and just... oh my gosh, I can't even..."

He honestly loved how flustered and affected she was. "That good, huh?"

"Definitely," she swallowed, widening her eyes for emphasis. Then about a thousand questions began flooding through her mind. "So are you... do you, um... y'know... play for both teams, or..."

He laughed at her somewhat ridiculous way of asking that question. "No."

She eyed him skeptically. "Really? 'Cause... straight guys don't really... give other guys blow jobs, even for work, I'd imagine, so..."

"Well... true, but," he shrugged and gestured with a wave of his hand, "in general, I'm only attracted to women."

"In general?" she smiled.

"Yeah. He's the only guy I've ever... done anything with, or wanted to," he replied. "I honestly don't even know why. I think it's just... _him_. He's got such a... sexual energy about him, and... yeah. I mean, it's not like I wanna fuck around with him every time I see him, it's not like that. But under the right circumstances, yeah."

"So... you're only gay for Loki," Summer surmised.

Bucky thought for a moment before laughing softly. "Yeah, I guess so."

She laughed with him. "I mean, I'm not asking you because it would bother me if you were into guys too, 'cause it wouldn't, but I'm just insanely curious."

"No, it's fine," he assured her. "Ask anything you want."

Well, so long as he was offering... "Did he, um... return the favor?"

"No, actually," Bucky replied. "See, right after that the focus shifted to the client, so... he was too busy to worry about that. And now it's like the world's most annoying running joke. He _constantly_ offers to 'repay' me, like seriously at least once a month he asks and it's obnoxious."

Summer stared at him in confusion. "... Why not just... take him up on that? I mean.. _. I_ would."

Bucky chuckled before shrugging. "Then I'd have to listen to him gloat about how much I liked it and how hard he made me come and frankly, he's already got enough shit to torture me with. I don't need to add to the list."

Summer's head was spinning with absolutely filthy thoughts, and she felt as if she might pass out from the sheer filth of it all. "... What list? What else have you done together?"

"... Well I told you, we've been hired together somewhat frequently, so... you can imagine."

"I don't want to imagine, I want you to tell me," she giggled, hiding behind her hand for a moment. "Ever hooked up with him outside of work?"

Bucky shook his head, thoroughly amused by how much she was enjoying hearing all of this. "Nah. Unless you count this one time our client fell asleep, and I don't because... I don't know, I just don't."

Summer's eyes widened. "Tell me."

Bucky rolled his eyes and pretended to begrudgingly give in, even though he had no problem doing so. "All right, so, we literally fucked this poor girl into a coma, basically. She was younger but really rich, an heiress, I think, and she really got her money's worth, I can tell you that. But she just literally passed out right after he got done with her, and I hadn't actually finished yet. So I just figured I'd get up and go jump in the shower and take care of myself."

Summer gulped. Honestly, the mental image of him doing just that in the shower was almost as enticing as the other thoughts he'd filled her mind with. "... And?"

Bucky hesitated only for a fraction of a second before telling her the rest of the story.

* * *

 _The hot water spraying down from the large showerhead felt incredible after Bucky's rather long and tiring night, running over tense muscles and already-heated skin, but he was far too preoccupied by something else to notice quite how good it felt. There was a much more concerning and consuming ache that he needed to alleviate, and barely two minutes after he'd slipped under the water, his focus was already entirely upon that and that alone._

 _He knew it wouldn't take long, not after the night he'd had. The client had been young and pretty and filthier than even the tabloids depicted, but in a good way, and the three of them had all but demolished the hotel room she'd rented out for them. Now she was asleep and Loki was tucking her in, and Bucky's sole focus was on quelling the fire within before it became painful, and_ not _in a good way._

 _He leaned his head back, one palm on the tile to his left and the other wrapped around himself and working almost frantically, not caring for finesse or technique but just wanting - needing - relief. He had no shortage of mental images to work with, and he became so distracted by a few of them that he barely heard the shower door open and quiet footsteps approach from behind him._

 _But the sensation of a mouth on the back of his neck certainly caught his attention, making him let out an embarrassing noise of surprise and rip his hand off of himself. Loki quickly placed his hands on Bucky's shoulders, however, and assured him, "Relax, relax. It's only me."_

 _Bucky cursed and turned enough to glare at the man over his shoulder. "The fuck are you doing?"_

 _Loki trailed his eyes down his friend's wet body, lingering on his rather prominent and obvious arousal before replying, "Lending you a hand, if you'll let me."_

 _Bucky stared dumbly at the other man as those words and his intent sunk in. Loki, in an attempt to very much simplify it all, turned Bucky around fully so that they faced each other and explained, "You worked far too hard tonight to be left wanting, left to tend to yourself in the shower afterward."_

 _"... She was satisfied, that's all that matters," Bucky shrugged. "Not actually the first time I've had to do this."_

 _"Well, I won't have it," Loki stated simply before putting a hand at the center of Bucky's chest and pushing him against the wall. Then Loki invaded his space, hand sliding down quite purposefully down from his chest as he leaned in closer and added, "Someone else's hand always feels better. We both know that."_

 _Bucky was blushing now, all of this unexpected despite the contact both men had shared earlier in the night. They had kissed and touched each other here and there, but that had been for the job and_ this _certainly wasn't. "You don't have to do this."_

 _"Of course I don't have to," Loki chuckled. "I want to. Will you let me?"_

 _Bucky stared at Loki with slight incredulity before Loki's hand brushed softly over him, and that one barely-there touch made him twitch and his entire body shudder a little._

 _"Oh, my," Loki marveled, doing it again a bit firmer and watching Bucky's eyes roll shut in pleasure. "Look how needy you are."_

 _Bucky suddenly couldn't think of a single reason to deny what he was being offered. It wouldn't be the first time they screwed around, and he highly doubted it would make anything weird the next day. Even if it might have, however, the need that he felt eclipsed all of that, and that was what led him to take Loki's hand and put it more firmly on himself and then kiss him in the next breath. And Loki was all too happy to follow his lead._

 _Loki didn't tease him one bit, instead working him in a steady and firm rhythm as he kissed the hell out of Bucky and gave him everything he needed. Bucky buried his hand in Loki's wet hair and thrusted into his hand, finding it indeed much more satisfying of a touch than his own, and the way that Loki kissed him and touched him... it all made him throb even harder and reach his end all the more quickly._

 _He came with a slightly strangled and muffled moan against Loki's mouth, shuddering against the other man's body and spilling into his hand as sweet and blessed relief at last washed over him. Loki didn't stop kissing him or touching him just yet, stroking him through it until it was over and then letting the water rinse them both clean as he lazily kissed Bucky, not as deeply as before and more comfortingly than anything._

 _Once Bucky felt like he was back on the earth again, he pulled away from Loki's mouth and opened his eyes to find Loki looking both rather amused and also quite fond. Bucky wasn't sure what to do or say at that point, glancing down between them to check and see if Loki needed a turn next. He didn't, although Bucky had a feeling that he could probably get him ready again if he really tried to._

 _But he didn't. Instead he somewhat awkwardly smiled at Loki and said, "Thanks... I guess."_

 _Loki kissed him one more time. "Anytime, darling."_

 _Then they both laughed, got themselves together, and got out of the shower._

* * *

Summer was one more story away from cardiac arrest, that much she knew. Her poor heart and hormones could only take so much of this before she'd simply implode.

"I... just... _wow_. I'm... you're... my brain is just..."

Bucky chuckled at her lack of coherence, running his hand up and down her side. "Hey, you asked."

"And I'm glad I did," she said with wide eyes. "Like... _wow_. I wish I could have been there to hide behind a door and watch like a creeper."

That made him laugh. "Yeah? Like a 'creeper'?"

She nodded insistently. "A very creepy creeper. Like the kind who stands there and breathes heavily while they watch and maybe even breaks out a camera at some point." He tossed his head back slightly as he laughed at _that_ one. It made her laugh as well, and then she added, "I'm like seriously wishing I was one of the lucky girls who got to have you both. Although I probably would have just sat there and wanted to watch you guys do stuff the whole time. Like a creeper."

"That's not being a creeper," he noted with an amused grin. "It's called having a kink. There's nothing wrong with that." Then he paused and asked curiously, "Ever had a threesome before?"

"Oh my gosh, _no_ ," she immediately shook her head. "Nope. Never had the chance to."

He nodded, making a mental note of that little fact and filing it away for later. "Ever kissed a girl?"

She shook her head even faster that time, giggling, "Oh man, nope, never. My history is... very... very boring compared to yours."

He shrugged her off, his hand still wandering all the while and currently sliding along the side of her breast. "Well, considering what I do for a living, that's only natural. And you're so shy at first... it makes sense why your history isn't the wildest. And that's okay. Don't ever let anyone make you feel bad for that."

"I won't," she smiled. "Just like you shouldn't ever let anyone judge you for your history." His expression faltered slightly, but that didn't surprise her. She lifted her hand to his cheek and told him, "Seriously, don't."

"I usually don't," he assured her, nodding. "I only care about what the people important to me think."

"Good," Summer replied softly. "Because you're amazing, you really are. In a lot of ways."

That made him smile. It was a real, genuine one that made his eyes crinkle at the corners, and it always made her heart soar whenever she saw one of those.

That was when she kissed him again, softly this time and sweetly, and Bucky held her close as their lips moved against each other. They kissed like that for a few minutes, both of them smiling when they pulled away and looked upon each other.

Summer knew that if she said nothing, if she kept her mouth shut, that he'd leave soon and she might not see him again for awhile. It was easier to say nothing, probably smarter too, but her heart overruled her head and she spoke before she could overthink it.

"So... one more question."

He smiled and raised his eyebrows with interest. "Shoot."

"Considering what you do for a living... are you opposed to dating? Like... not just one casual date here and there, but... _dating_?"

His expression suddenly grew a bit more serious, and he paused and searched her features before replying, "Well... I'm... well aware that most girls wouldn't want a relationship with an escort. It's not that I'm opposed exactly, but realistically... I don't expect to seriously date anyone while I'm doing this."

Trying to keep her heart from sinking, Summer then asked, "But... what if a girl really wanted to?"

Seeing through her line of questioning and understanding exactly where it was coming from, Bucky quietly replied, "Look... this job takes a lot of my time. I've gotta be available almost 24/7. I get calls in the afternoon, at night, one in the morning. I don't expect a girl to be okay with me constantly bailing on plans or leaving her in the middle of a date to go and have sex with some other woman across town."

Swallowing and trying to keep from letting her disappointment show on her face, Summer quietly answered with, "I get that. I really do. And you're right, but... what if... the girl was pretty sure that she could handle it, and thought that you were totally worth the risk?"

Bucky's expression grew soft and slightly pained. He stroked his thumb along her cheek and quietly replied, "You deserve better than what I could give you."

"You don't know that," she insisted. "I mean... I'm not saying that it would always be easy, but I just... I really _really_ like you."

"I _really_ like you too," he confessed with a small, genuine smile.

"And I'm not even saying that it has to be super serious or anything," she added. "It's just that... I really enjoyed last night and being out with you, talking and dancing and having fun, and... I've thought about it a lot, and I wanna give it a shot. A real shot."

He seemed to be in the midst of a great inner struggle, and he truly was. Everything in his head told him to tell her no, that this was a terrible idea and it would only end badly for them both, but his instincts told him a completely different story. He wanted her, and he wanted what she was proposing so badly that it took him by surprise when he realized just how badly he desired it.

"I know what I'm getting into," she assured him when he still seemed to be on the fence. "And I completely understand why you do what you do."

"I don't want to do it forever," he told her with a slight shake of his head. "I apply for stuff all the time but it's a nightmare trying to explain to interviewers why I haven't had a job in seven years."

"It's okay," she shrugged. "I understand. I really do."

He eyed her cautiously, finding it hard to believe her despite how sincere she obviously was. "You sure about this?"

"I'm sure that I want to try," she smiled. "And I know that I'll regret it forever if we don't."

The moment that passed between them felt like it lasted for ages. Bucky hesitated, his brain all but screaming that he was only going to end up hurting this beautiful, remarkable woman, but in the end, his heart won out.

"Okay."

Summer smiled brightly enough to almost light an entire city. "Okay?"

He nodded, mirroring her smile. "Yeah."

Her smile widened even more and she kissed him excitedly, having not expected their conversation to have turned out as it had. She had expected disappointment and to part ways as casual, occasional lovers, but now when they parted, it would be with the promise of new and unexpected chances on the horizon for them both.

They wasted some more time in bed, talking and playfully arguing about where to have their first real solo date and kissing whenever they felt like it. They only dragged themselves out of bed when Summer's phone buzzed with a lunch invite from Aemilia, at which point they realized that it was almost noon and that they'd wasted the entire morning in bed with each other.

It was some of the best wasted time either one of them had ever experienced.

* * *

Summer's eyes grew huge as Aemilia grinned a little sheepishly behind her glass of water, nonchalantly taking a sip despite the rather long and detailed _story_ that she had just relayed to her best friend. All Summer could do was gape at her like a fish and fail at finding the proper words to respond with.

Eventually, Summer settled with, "How... like... how are you... I don't know... _still alive_ after a night like that?"

Aemilia giggled softly and set down her water glass, a blush rising on her cheeks as she replied, "I'm not sure. Maybe I'm dead and I'm a ghost and I just haven't noticed yet?"

"Yeah, I think the chances of that are high," Summer said with wide eyes. " _Holy frick_. What was it like? How did you do it? The whole... dominating thing?"

"Well, I just... _did_ it," Aemilia grinned. "I didn't think too much about what I was going to do. I just... went with it and what I wanted to do, I did."

Summer ran her fingers through her hair and let out a squeal of a choking sound, quietly enough to not alert other patrons at the little cafe that they were having lunch in. " _Oh my gosh_. That's... so hot. I could never do that."

Aemilia scoffed immediately. "Of course you could. You can do _anything_ , Summer."

Summer shook her head insistently. "I wouldn't even have the slightest clue what to do with a guy if he was tied up and at my mercy. Like... I'd just end up drawing a blank and begging to switch places."

Aemilia rolled her eyes. "You would _not_. Besides, just imagine if it was _Bucky_ who was submitting to you. I'm sure you could think of _something_."

Summer choked on absolutely nothing at the thought of _that_ , blushing at the very vivid image that had just popped into her head. Still, she replied, "I don't know, I mean... we haven't done anything like that yet. He hasn't even tied me up. He's talked about it before - our first night - but yeah, so..."

"Well, give it some time," Aemilia grinned. "I'm sure you'll have chances to, ah... explore your options in the future."

"Actually, I do have some news there," Summer grinned.

"So do I, actually," Aemilia grinned back. "You go first."

Summer widened her eyes. "No, you! What is it? What happened?"

"Well," Aemilia smiled, "we talked for a bit last night, after we... _finished_ , and... we have a date Friday night."

Summer's entire face lit up with glee. "A date? Like a real date? You guys are gonna be _together_ together?"

Aemilia, looking just as gleeful, happily nodded back and said, "Yes! He was surprised that I want to date him and get to know him better, but... honestly, he is so incredibly _brilliant_ and _fascinating_ and I think it would be silly to not see where things may lead."

"I totally agree," Summer replied. "I think it's great. Like, the way that he looked at you last night... _wow_. It wasn't just a _I want to rip your clothes off_ look, it was like... like nothing else in the world existed but you, and everything just... orbits you. It was amazing. It made me want to write about it."

Aemilia blushed a little. "... Did he really look at me like that?"

"Definitely," Summer assured her. "And you should have seen the way that he watched you during the show. I'm pretty sure that he thinks that you're the eighth wonder of the world."

"Oh my goodness... everything is so intense with him," Aemilia sighed, blushing yet again. "It should probably scare me, but it doesn't. It just... draws me in even more."

"I don't blame you," Summer replied. "I mean... I've never met anyone like him before."

"Neither have I," Aemilia said. "And nobody's made me feel the way that he does. I can hardly explain it. He just... makes me feel so... _free_ and... alive."

Summer rested her face on both of her hands and smiled dreamily. "I'm so happy for you. Like, this is just so cool, seriously."

"It is," Aemilia smiled equally dreamily before suddenly remembering that Summer had news also. "Oh! So what happened? What's your news?"

Summer then grinned and replied, "Well, uh... actually... I kinda... have a date coming up, too."

Aemilia's eyes widened. "With Bucky?"

Summer nodded excitedly. "Yes! My news is basically exactly the same as yours."

Aemilia briefly covered her mouth with one hand as she freaked out a little bit. "This is insane! I can't believe it!" Then she dropped her hand and amended, "Well, I _can_ believe it, because he's obviously beyond taken with you and you light up like a Christmas tree around him, but..."

Summer smiled excitedly and said, "Well, I had to kind of convince him that I actually wanted to date him. He didn't believe me at first and he was very convinced that no one would ever want to date him because of what he does, but... we had a good talk, and I mean, I don't know the future or what's gonna happen but I just really, _really_ like him. And I think that we might be really good together."

"You should _absolutely_ give it a shot," Aemilia agreed. "Maybe most women wouldn't want to date either him or Loki, but who cares? Plenty of people do _worse_ for money. Frankly, I consider most of the men on Wall Street and in politics to be far more immoral, and yet nobody would judge either of us for dating a corporate businessman or politician."

"You're totally right," Summer agreed. "I mean, it's the world's oldest profession, right?"

"That's what they say," Aemilia grinned. "And they aren't working street corners. They're very safe and professional."

"It's about as classy as it can get," Summer agreed.

"Now," Aemilia sighed, "do I relish the thought of dating a man who's probably going to sleep with several other women each week? Obviously I don't _like_ it, but I feel as if it would be ridiculous of me to write him off for that reason when I understand why he does what he does. I'm sure Bucky has very valid reasons, too."

Summer nodded. "He got into it to help pay for his friend's medical bills. Then he stuck with it to pay for his school, and he's almost done with his Master's now."

"See?" Aemilia waved slightly. "I think we should both just... keep open minds and see where it leads."

"Absolutely," Summer nodded resolutely. "Regardless of what people think."

"Precisely," Aemilia nodded.

Summer paused, hesitating before deciding to go ahead and drop the dreaded M-bomb. "Including your mother."

Aemilia, having been lifting her glass to her lips, suddenly lowered it back down slowly and glared at Summer. "My mother will hear _nothing_ of this. I'm not even going to tell her that I'm dating anyone. Besides, she only calls once a week and she never comes to visit. It'll be easy to keep it from her."

"Hopefully," Summer nodded. "Or... she'll pick this year to finally get on a plane herself and visit _you_ for once."

Aemilia's glare sharpened. "Don't place that kind of evil upon me, Summer. Don't even speak of something so horrid."

Summer grinned and shrugged. "Hey, I'm just saying."

"Well please, _stop_ saying it," Aemilia replied. "Besides, if you and Bucky get serious enough, you'll have to tell your brother one day."

Now it was Summer's turn to widen her eyes in horror. "Oh God."

"Exactly," Aemilia laughed.

"... Let's just... keep it between us," Summer suggested. "And Nat. Maybe a few other friends, but like... yeah."

"I'm fine with that," Aemilia nodded. "The less commentary we have to endure, the better."

" _Definitely_ ," Summer agreed. "Besides, it's nobody's business but ours."

Aemilia nodded, then smiled at her friend and let out a sudden, adorable little giggle. "Can you believe this? Both of us suddenly dating these beautiful, incredible men, all because I hired you an escort for your birthday?"

Summer blushed and covered her face with her hands for a moment. " _I know_! Like seriously, best present ever."

"The gift that's kept on giving," Aemilia winked. "And _giving_."

"Oh he definitely has," Summer sighed, eyes glazing slightly as she gazed off into space. "I never knew a man could be so enthusiastic about... certain... things. Like... you know... _mouth_... things."

"Oh, some men definitely are," Aemilia grinned. "And it's about time we both find a few who are."

Summer half-choked and enthusiastically agreed, "Oh yeah. Because like... _holy crap_. I never knew it could be that good."

"I know what you mean," Aemilia sighed, leaning her chin on her hand. "I mean, I've had decent sex before and enjoyed other men, but... it's so incredibly different with Loki. Even the first night we met, it was as if we had this... connection almost instantly. And it sounds ridiculous when I say that, but it's the truth."

"It's not ridiculous at all!" Summer assured her. "On my birthday, when I met Bucky, you _know_ how wound up and nervous I was."

"Like a crazed mouse," Aemilia nodded.

"Exactly. And even then, just as a stranger, he was able to calm me down and get me there over and over. Nobody else ever did that for me before. And it's only gotten better every time I've seen him. And he's just so... he's funny, he's like disgustingly smart. He's cute and when he smiles his eyes do this crinkle thing in the corners and it makes my heart like explode in my chest."

Aemilia giggled at her terminology. "I can't wait to get to know him better. You know, assuming all goes well, a bit down the line we should all go on a double date. Wouldn't it be fun?"

Summer's eyes widened and she all but gasped, "Oh my gosh, I didn't even think about that!"

"I've never been on one before," Aemilia admitted. "And they're rather close, I think they would be up for it."

"Oh, they definitely would," Summer blushed. "They're up for basically _anything_ together."

Summer said those words with such an obviously suggestive overtone that Aemilia completely missed whatever it was she was hinting at. As Summer took a sip of water, she asked, "What do you mean?"

Summer then choked slightly and set her glass down. "You know," she wiggled her eyebrows, blushing harder and almost whispering. "They're... they've... done... a lot of, um... work... together."

Aemilia blinked. "Together?"

"... Loki never mentioned that?"

Aemilia shook her head. "I don't think so. What am I missing?"

Summer took a deep breath, mentally telling herself to just say the words and stop being such a pansy. "Well, let's just say they've been hired together for a lot of, um... threesomes and stuff, and... they... well, they've screwed around together a _lot_ , so..."

Aemilia blinked. "Oh." She paused, and then more quietly and with a faint smirk, she added, " _Oh_."

"He told me stories last night," Summer confessed, face utterly on fire. "Stories about... showers and... uh..." In lieu of speaking the dreaded words, Summer looked around and then cautiously and very awkwardly mimed a blow job with her hand and mouth to get her message across.

Aemilia actually _squeaked_ and giggled nervously, reaching across the table to bat Summer's hand down before someone noticed. "Dear God. Summer, you're going to get us kicked out!"

"I'm sorry!" Summer laughed back, past the point of blushing and now possibly having a stroke. "I just didn't want to say it. But yeah, so my point is, they are very _very_ comfortable and... familiar with each other."

"That is... incredibly hot," Aemilia marveled, her mind getting away from her as she began to try to mentally picture the two men together. "Loki told me last night about a boyfriend he had in college, but he didn't mention anything about his and Bucky's adventures."

"Oh, so Loki's actually into guys in general," Summer surmised. "Bucky claims that he's literally only attracted to Loki as far as guys go."

"Really?" Aemilia raised an eyebrow. "Hmm... well, I don't doubt it. Loki is... _Loki_. He could likely make the straightest man alive become very confused at the very least."

"Exactly," Summer nodded. "Like, who _wouldn't_ bang that?"

"Nobody in their right mind," Aemilia remarked. Then she leaned her head on her hand again and sighed. "What lucky women there are among us, who've had both him and Bucky at their service for a night."

" _Right_?!" Summer squeaked. "I mean, like... I'd be dead. I wouldn't survive. I can barely handle Bucky as it is. I'd never make it out alive."

"Well, you certainly wouldn't be able to walk straight for about a month," Aemilia grinned as Summer giggled at the implication. "I must ask Loki for these stories. He has a way with words, to put it mildly."

Remembering Loki's smooth, deep and almost otherworldly voice, Summer groaned and said, "I bet he does. You both probably do. I mean, between your voice and his, I don't even know which would be hotter. Maybe it's equal."

"Well, he did seem to quite enjoy it when my words became a bit filthy in the heat of the moment," Aemilia grinned, rather proud of herself.

Summer made a faint dying sound in the back of her throat. "Man, no fair. You and Loki and Bucky with your sexy dirty talk... I couldn't do it to save my life."

Aemilia rolled her eyes, but in an affectionate manner. "I'm going to start banning you from using the words 'I can't' in a sentence."

Summer shrugged. "Well, it's true."

"It's not," Aemilia insisted. "It's actually rather easy. And it's not as if I have this plethora of dirty-talking experience either, but as I understand it, it's not about trying to sound like some cheesy porn film but instead paying attention to the person you're with and playing on their desires with your words."

"Yeah, but..."

"For example," Aemilia interrupted, suddenly having an idea. "For conversation's sake, let's say we're lovers."

Summer's eyes popped wide open. "What?"

"We're lovers, and I want to tease you right now as we sit in this public place," Aemilia continued on, not even batting an eye as Summer continued to gape at her. Aemilia then ran her eyes over her friend, taking in the blush on her face and neck and the tension in her posture, and then she leaned a bit forward and made very direct and pointed eye contact as she said in a slightly lower tone, "I would tell you that the blush on your face and your throat is lovely, and that I can't wait to take you back to my place and get your clothes off so I can see just how far down your body I've made you blush."

Summer's mouth fell open in a wordless, useless state. She was genuinely speechless, and Aemilia simply smiled innocently and leaned back in her seat as she chirped, "See? It's easy."

Finally managing to find her voice after mentally flailing about for a few more seconds, Summer stuttered, "Well, that wasn't, like... uncomfortably hot or anything."

"I was only demonstrating," Aemilia teased, thoroughly enjoying how easily flustered Summer could get. "Sort of like how I would be if I told you that the way you're squirming in your seat right now makes me wonder how you'd squirm if I slipped my hand under the table and -"

" _Oh my God, stop_!" Summer squealed, scandalized. "Stop the dirty talk!"

"Why, darling?" Aemilia asked innocently, barely holding back an enormous wave of laughter about to break through. "Do you not like it? Or are you simply growing too wet and needy for me?"

Summer almost knocked everything off of the table in her sudden and erratic hand-waving movements as she whisper-screamed, "Fricking stop it before I die!"

That was when Aemilia gave in to the laughter and let it all out, gleefully exclaiming, "This is fun!"

"I'm glad you think it is," Summer muttered, shaking her head in an attempt to literally shake off the last few moments. "You're _way_ too good at that."

"Am I?" Aemilia grinned. "I must use this to my advantage more often with Loki. And you should give it a try as well."

Summer rolled her eyes and shrugged, still blushing. "Look, I could try to practice on you right now, but literally all I'd be able to come up with is like... um..." She looked Aemilia over and then let her eyes linger on her chest as she said, "Your boobs are awesome."

Aemilia burst out laughing again. "That's not dirty talk!"

"I know!" Summer half-wailed. "I told you, I'm impossible."

"No, you just have to put your writer mind to work and be more verbal," Aemilia replied. "Again, imagine we're lovers."

Summer groaned. "Oh gosh, not again."

"We're lovers - new lovers - and you want to tell me exactly how distracting you find my rather impressive rack, for lack of a better term. Think of how you'd write it, and then say it out loud."

Summer squirmed again in her seat and kind of wanted to cry and run away, but she didn't and she went along with Aemilia's little "lesson" anyway. After quite a bit spent staring hilariously obviously at Aemilia's chest, Summer finally opened her mouth and muttered half-hysterically, " _Ohmygosh_ , I can't do this!"

Aemilia laughed with her friend and sighed, "Well, with enough practice -"

"No, no more practice!" Summer laughed. "Look, I am perfectly happy being my awkward, weird self, and I'm more than happy to leave the dirty talking to you freaks of nature who can do it like it comes naturally."

"Fine," Aemilia chuckled, more quietly this time. "You know, I have to say that you are absolutely adorable when you're flustered."

"Bucky would agree with you," Summer nodded. "That's one thing I know for sure. Whenever I start word-vomiting or just... in general acting like an idiot, he just smiles and he doesn't treat me like I'm stupid or annoying. He just... _likes_ me. It's so... weird."

"It shouldn't be," Aemilia replied. "All those other men you've dated were idiotic cavemen, and it's about time you found someone who treats you as you deserve to be treated."

"Yeah, well... it's all thanks to you," Summer smiled.

"And my meeting Loki was all thanks to you," Aemilia replied with a fond smile. "Who would have thought I'd one day owe the best sex of my life to my best friend."

"Same," Summer grinned. "But that makes us even better friends. Bonds us on a truly awesome level."

"Indeed," Aemilia smiled.

After taking a breath, Summer shook her head slightly and smiled, looking up at her best friend and remarking, "You know, for once, things are really starting to look pretty good."

Aemilia smiled and then raised her glass to Summer in a toast, telling her, "Well, here's to us, and to _good_ getting even better."

"In every way possible, hopefully," Summer said before clinking her glass against her friend's. They both smiled and then each took sips of their water, both women excited and more than ready to see where these new opportunities and possibilities might lead now that they were both officially dating the men that they had met as clients.

Life certainly had funny ways of taking unexpected turns, and only time would tell just where their new roads would lead. All they knew for sure was that they would undoubtedly enjoy every last minute spent finding out.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey everyone! It's been entirely too long since I last updated this and I wouldn't be surprised if you guys thought I'd abandoned it, but I haven't! I've just been so busy writing all my other stuff and had motivation issues with this particular story as a result, but trust me, this is definitely not getting abandoned. I've got too much good stuff planned to let that happen *rubs hands together and cackles villainously*. And I've gotta give big giant thanks to midnightwings96 for helping me with this story and plotting it and fleshing it out and gently reminding me from time to time that I really needed to snap to it and get working on it again :D This chapter continues to split the focus between our two couples, this one being a bit more Loki/Aemilia-centric, but Bucky and Summer get some time in the spotlight too. I hope you guys enjoy this, and I'll try to get the next update done in a much shorter amount of time than this one took me. Also, if there's anything anyone's curious to see in terms of flashbacks or anything else, let me know! The flashback here in this chapter was inspired by something one of you lovely reviewers asked for awhile back, so yeah... just let me know, guys :D I'll see you all soon, and I hope you enjoy! :D**

 _Four months later_

When Summer had first imagined what dating an escort would be like, she never quite considered the possibility that it might actually be more normal than anything else. She wasn't even sure _what_ she imagined, but reality turned out to be far sweeter than her imagination had been. The same was true for Aemilia, and after four months of dating the new men in their lives, both girls were very happy and slowly falling in love with them.

Bucky was the perfect gentleman in every sense, taking Summer out on the kind of dates that she had always wanted to go on but never got to. He took her to expensive dinners and then would take her dancing after, teaching her how to move despite her two left feet and having a blast with her. She'd never had more fun on dates before in her life, whether it was dancing or a walk in the park or a movie at his place followed by a long night of very little sleep. He made her laugh until her sides hurt and treated her so well that it boggled her mind at first - she didn't know that men like that even existed in the real world.

Aemilia, meanwhile, found what she she thought just might be her perfect partner in Loki. Not only did he treat her like a queen - perhaps even better than one - but he was her intellectual and spiritual equal in so many ways that she could hardly believe it. They could talk for hours and never run out of things to say, both feeling as if they had known the other for ages rather than a simple few months. They were both incredibly busy thoughout the week, always in demand in their very different professions, but they still managed to find time for one another and make the very most out of it. There was no pressure and no stress when it came to each other, and that was what made their relationship an unrivaled comfort for the both of them.

But even the best and most surprisingly happy relationships weren't perfect. This was especially true in Summer's case, though she was exceptionally gifted at ignoring the occasional things that prickled at the back of her mind and made her uneasy. She had always been good at sweeping things under the rug that she didn't want to see, and Aemilia was the first to notice her doing this one day while lending Summer a hand in the kitchen.

Summer was planning an elaborate dinner surprise for Bucky, having not actually cooked for him yet thanks to their busy schedules. He thought that he was coming over that night for pizza and a movie, but in reality, Summer had cooked one of her specialities and was now working on dessert with Aemilia's help.

Carefully arranging the two-layer chocolate cake on her glass cake stand, Summer glanced over at Aemilia and said, "Oh, keep stirring. You can't stop until it's all melted."

"Oh dear," Aemilia chuckled, going back to whisking the chocolate and heavy cream mixture over the makeshift double-boiler on the stove. "Do forgive me. I don't think I've actually used a stovetop for anything but tea in a year."

"Which sucks, because you're actually an awesome cook," Summer said, leaning on the counter and watching Aemilia work on the ganache. "What about Loki? Does he cook?"

"Yes, actually," Aemilia smiled, eyes lighting up a little at the mention of him. "He likes to make me breakfast when one of us stays the night. And I mean a full, proper English breakfast. I can hardly eat half of it most of the time. And he cooked dinner for us once. Apparently he's taken some classes in his spare time and has all of these fancy cooking techniques that he learned from a French chef."

Summer's eyes widened. "Holy crap. Is there anything he _can't_ do?"

"Yes," Aemilia chuckled after thinking for a moment. "He can't whistle."

Summer gasped. "I can't either!"

"I don't understand, it's so easy! I've tried to show him and he gets incredibly frustrated. He doesn't like being unable to do something, even if it's as silly as whistling," Aemilia smiled to herself, ceasing her efforts with the whisk. "Is this good?"

Summer grabbed the whisk and checked the consistency of the chocolate sauce. "Yep! Perfect. Turn off the burner and I'll pour it on the cake."

"I take it Bucky's a chocolate fan?" Aemilia asked, doing as Summer said and then watching her drizzle the stuff on the cake in lieu of traditional frosting, while Aemilia took the liberty of licking the whisk.

"He _loves_ it," Summer replied. "And I'm gonna make a raspberry sauce to go with it. He may end up in a coma by the time he's done."

"And he still has no idea you're doing all this?"

"Nope!" she smiled. "He had class today and then an interview after. He said he'd be here in about..." She checked the clock on the stove. "Half an hour."

"Oh, an interview? That's good."

"Yeah, he's been trying really hard lately to find a decent job," Summer said, setting down the now-empty bowl of ganache and grabbing a spatula to smooth the cake over. "But it's hard. Most jobs want experience, and... he doesn't have the kind they want."

Aemilia nodded, frowning. "It's a shame. But I'm sure someone will eventually give him a chance."

"I hope so," Summer replied quietly.

Aemilia studied her for a moment before asking, "Are you handling it well? Dealing with what he does?"

"I..." Summer faltered and then tossed the spatula in the sink with a small sigh. "Yeah. Mostly. I mean, sometimes it freaks me out, but... it is what it is, you know? And last week we had just finished a movie and were in the middle of... stuff... on the couch, and then his phone rang."

Aemilia frowned and nodded understandingly. "It's not easy, I know."

Summer shrugged, staring sightlessly at the cake. "He's been trying to save up his money, too, in case he takes a job that pays a less, so he can still pay his rent. So he's been taking as many new clients as he can, and... yeah. I act like it doesn't bother me 'cause I don't want to freak him out and I told him I could handle it."

"Can you?"

"If I don't think about it," Summer smiled a bit sadly, "yeah. But then if I let myself picture what it is he's doing to all these other women... yeah, I can't let myself do that. It'll make me crazy."

"It's all right," Aemilia replied softly. "It's a difficult situation. But hopefully he will find a good job soon."

Summer nodded. "And I don't ever want to make him feel worse than he already does about it. I mean, that would be pretty awful of me, since I knew what he was getting into and I know he can't just quit for me."

Aemilia nodded. "Just... try not to think about it too much. It's only a job for him."

"Yeah, I know," Summer sighed, nodding absently. Then she headed to her fridge, where a bottle of white wine was chilled and ready to be opened. "What about you? Everything going good with you and Loki?"

"Yes," she answered honestly, grabbing two wine glasses from a cabinet as Summer brought the bottle of wine over along with a corkscrew. "It's going very well, actually. I certainly can't complain."

Summer grinned and started working on the cork. "Paradise is still trouble-free, then?"

Aemilia grinned back but then let her smile falter, becoming a bit of a cringe as she watched Summer twist the cork up. "We're fine, but actually... I did get some truly _horrible_ news earlier today."

"Oh God, what is it?" Summer asked, pausing and looking up at Aemilia with dread.

"It's your fault, by the way. You jinxed me."

Summer's eyes widened to the size of novelty saucers. "What? What did I do? What's happening?"

"I hardly want to say it out loud," Aemilia groaned. Then she took a breath and finally forced the words out. "My mother is flying in for a visit."

Summer gasped and half-accidentally popped the cork out of the bottle, jumping at the noise as if she hadn't anticipated it. " _No!_ "

Aemilia nodded and grabbed the bottle, pouring them both generous amounts. "I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't budge. She'll be here next Friday."

"But... _why_?" Summer asked, utterly aghast. "She never comes to see you! Like... ever. Why all of a sudden now?"

"She claims she wants to see me at the opera," Aemilia rolled her eyes. "But I'm sure there's something else afoot. Probably involves some new man she's trying to sink her claws into."

"Well... maybe it won't be so bad? I mean, I know you and her have a... complicated relationship, but maybe she'll be nice since she hasn't seen you in like four years?"

"Unlikely," Aemilia said, taking a healthy drink of her wine. "She'll look at me with her overly Botoxed blank stare and give me that horrible fake smile of hers before asking me why on earth would a woman with _my_ shape wear _this_ dress, suggest I have my hair professionally straightened so that I don't look so 'wild' and 'unkempt', then ask me why I won't take her advice for once because _after all, Aemilia, dear, don't you want to be married before it's too late and you're all dried up?_ "

Summer stared at her friend with a mixture of horror and great sympathy, at a loss for words for a good long moment. "I am so sorry," she finally managed. "Maybe I could help you fake having the flu while she's here?"

Aemilia sighed and shook her head. "I don't think there's any getting out of this one."

"Well... on the bright side, at least you have a hot boyfriend to show off, right? I mean, how can she pull the crap about your hair and how you dress when you've got _Loki_?"

"I suppose, but the idea of them meeting is also ridiculously stressful," Aemilia shrugged. "I'm not worried for Loki, because he can handle _anyone_ , but I just hate that he has to be subjected to her and her... nauseatingly fake charm."

"Well, just look at it this way - it'll be over before you know it, and then you won't have to see her again for probably another five years. Or at least deal with her coming _here_."

"God, I hope so," Aemilia groaned, nearly draining her glass the rest of the way already.

Summer then reached out and plucked at one of Aemilia's auburn curls. "And by the way, your curls aren't _unkempt_. They're ridiculously smooth. I _love_ your hair."

Aemilia smiled and looked down to examine the ends of her hair, taking a few locks between her fingers. "I work so hard on my hair! But she's always been a witch about it. Probably because the color and texture comes from my father's side."

"Well, she's just... horrible," Summer said, pouring Aemilia more wine. "Here. Drink more wine. Get nice and buzzed, then take a cab over to Loki's apartment and go crazy."

Aemilia grinned and picked up her newly refilled glass. "That does sound like a good way to forget about my impending doom."

"Exactly," Summer grinned back, clinking her glass against Aemilia's and working on her own pleasant little buzz.

The girls chatted some more and finished setting the kitchen table before Bucky's arrival time approached and Aemilia bade her best friend farewell. Summer saw her out to the cab waiting for her, and then she got back up to her apartment and finished getting dinner laid out on the table just in time for Bucky's knock on the door.

A stubborn little smile plastered to her face, Summer hurried to the door and unlocked it, opening it up and then smiling twice as wide once she laid eyes on the man who was stealing her heart more and more every day.

"Hi," she chirped happily, only to let her mouth fall open when he then held up a small but vibrant and beautiful bouquet of flowers in front of her.

"Hey," he grinned back, the smile reaching the crinkling corners of his eyes as he watched her light up like a Christmas tree as she took the little gift from him.

"Thank you," she blushed, clutching the flowers in one hand and opening her arms to him when he reached out to embrace her. He held her tight and kissed her sweetly, and she was putty in his hands already by the time he pulled back and she said, "I wasn't expecting flowers."

"Well, I like surprising you," he smiled before catching a whiff of the appetizing aromas drifting out of her open door. "Something smells good. And it doesn't smell like pizza, either."

"That would be _your_ surprise," Summer smiled excitedly, pulling him inside and closing the door. As soon as Bucky's eyes swept over the table and the spread laid out on it, not to mention the homemade chocolate cake sitting on her kitchen counter, it was his turn to let his jaw drop.

" _Holy shit_. You did all this?" Bucky asked, clearly impressed and a little dumbstruck. Summer could tell without having to ask that a woman had never cooked him a good meal before, aside from his mother.

"Yep," she said with a little hint of pride. "I thought it would be nice. And as much as I like pizza, I can only take so much of it, you know?"

"Not really," he chuckled, "but I yeah, I get it. And thank you, this is - wow. Did you make that _cake_ , too?"

"I did," Summer grinned, flitting off to the kitchen to get a vase for her flowers. "And i made raspberry sauce to go with it, 'cause it's delicious and I know you love raspberries."

"... Is it my birthday?" Bucky asked with a laugh. "The hell did I do to get all this?"

Sticking the flowers in the only vase she owned, Summer placed them in the sole window in the kitchen before heading back to Bucky and replying, "Who says I need a reason to cook for you?" She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, adding, "I'm kinda old fashioned, you know. It's a thing we do, feeding our men."

"Hey, you're not gonna hear any complaints from me," he grinned, stealing a kiss from her lips. "I haven't had food like this in years."

"Then I'll have to do it at least once a week," she said, closing her eyes and smiling when he kissed her again, and then again. Then she gently pushed him away and steered them back to the table. "Come on, it's gonna get cold if we start all _that_."

"I could live with that," he replied cheekily before taking the seat that Summer led him to.

She sat next to him, shaking her head at him with a smile and then pouring them both glasses of the wine that she and Aemilia had worked on earlier. "Oh! How did your interview go?" she asked him, suddenly remembering about it in the first place.

"Good," he said with a nod, though he hesitated slightly before saying so. "It went well, I think. They told me they'd call me by Monday, so... hopefully it's good news."

"Okay," Summer smiled. "Awesome! Well, don't stress about it. If it happens, it happens. If not, there's still tons of other jobs in the city, right?"

"Right," he replied with a bit of a tight smile.

"Anyway," she said, reaching for a bowl of mashed potatoes on the table, "let's hurry up and eat so we can attack the cake sooner."

Bucky laughed and wholeheartedly agreed with that notion, and then together they enjoyed a rare home cooked meal and equally pleasant conversation over it. They found it so easy to get wrapped up in conversation over the most frivolous and silly of things, so much so that the time simply flew by and before they knew it, they had devoured everything in sight. Summer was giggly from both the wine and from Bucky's penchant for deliciously vulgar jokes, her sides aching a bit from laughter when she got up to clear the table and bring dessert.

Bearing one large slice of the cake for them to share between the two of them, Summer returned and plunked the plate on the table in front of him before causally sliding on to his lap. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and smirked at him before grabbing the fork off the plate, at which point Bucky asked, "Is this how you serve dessert to all your guests?"

"Only the super hot ones," she giggled softly, presenting him with a forkful of the cake.

He raised an eyebrow before letting her feed him. "So you sit on Aemilia's lap and feed her, too?"

"You wish," Summer remarked dryly. She then watched as the amusement on his face was replaced with utter amazement, and he let out the sort of sound that she usually only heard when they were both naked.

"On my God," he sad after taking his first taste of the cake. "What the hell... how is that so good? What did you _put_ in there?"

"Well, the cake itself is a very simple recipe," she replied, taking a bite for herself. It really _was_ damn good. "But the raspberry sauce has a secret ingredient."

"... Crack?" Bucky guessed.

"No," Summer laughed. "Just some raspberry liqueur. Because alcohol makes everything better."

He groaned faintly as she fed him another bite. "This is so fucking good, Summer. I mean it. _Shit_. You're gonna spoil me."

"Good," she giggled. "That's the point. I had to find _some_ way of returning the favor."

He smiled and shook his head, letting her continue to spoil him and feed them both the best dessert he'd had in ages. It was sweet and decadent, not unlike the woman who had made it, and by the time the slice that they had shared was gone, they were both incredibly full and satisfied.

But Bucky's satisfaction was a bit more short-lived than Summer's. When she moved to get up and take the plate to the sink, he stopped her and held her close, sliding a hand into her hair to pull her closer. "You're not going anywhere," he murmured lowly, and she grinned and forgot all about the plate as their lips collided in a soft but passionate kiss.

They both all but melted into the other, so fully and entirely smitten that they both still felt butterflies every time they did this. Summer could hardly get used to it, having a man like Bucky who adored her and made her feel things she had never felt before, and Bucky was even less used to having a woman who wanted him for _him_.

Summer had shifted to straddle his lap and Bucky's hands were up her skirt by the time she felt a faint but distinct buzzing sensation just above the inner side of her knee. She broke the kiss when she felt it, their lust glazed eyes meeting as they both realized that his phone was ringing in his pocket.

Bucky apparently decided to ignore it, pulling her back for another kiss and pulling her hips closer to grind her into his lap. She whimpered at the sensation and kissed him back with equal fervor, only to pull away once more when she felt his phone buzzing again.

This time Bucky growled slightly and yanked out his phone from his pocket, and Summer watched his expression fall as he read the number. He looked back to Summer, and she knew immediately what the call was for. And judging by the look in his eye, it wasn't a call that he could ignore.

"Go on," she nodded, pretending that her own heart hadn't just sunk in her chest and left her feeling utterly deflated. "It's okay."

"I just... it's not a client I can turn down," he said, watching Summer carefully ease off of his lap, accepting her fate.

"It's okay," she repeated, forcing a smile to try to convince him. "Answer it."

Bucky stared at her for a few seconds longer, something in his expression a little pleading and full of things she couldn't fully decipher, and then he clenched his jaw and stood up as he put the phone to his ear. He walked away as he answered the call, and Summer looked over the mess on the table as she waited to hear for sure what was happening and if someone else had unknowingly stolen her special night away from her.

Bucky returned to her a few moments later, his phone back in his pocket and a clear glint of frustration in his eye. "I have to go," he muttered, and he couldn't hide the shame in his voice as he spoke those words. He also couldn't seem to look Summer fully in the eye.

"Okay. I figured. It's... it's all right," she replied, pretending that it didn't bother her.

"I'm so sorry," he told her sincerely, stepping closer to her and smoothing his hands over her arms. "I feel horrible. You put so much work into all of this, and -"

She shook her head and gave him a tight smile. "It's fine. Really, Bucky, I mean it. I understand. Please don't feel bad."

He let out a heavy sigh and then gently kisses her lips. "Thank you so much for tonight. It means a lot to me. And I'm sorry that I'm fucking it up now."

"It's okay," she said again, hoping that maybe if she said it enough, she might actually believe it. "Don't beat yourself up. We'll make up for it later."

"Okay," he said softly, kissing her again. "I _will_ make it up to you, I promise."

She nodded. "Okay. Go before you're late."

His expression became a bit pained, but he nodded and kissed her one more time before finally turning to leave. She watched him go, giving him a reassuring and fake smile when he looked back at her before disappearing through her front door.

As soon as he was gone, she let out a deep breath and let her fake smile go up in smoke. Surrounded by dirty dishes and an unpleasantly quiet, empty apartment, she sighed and started scooping up the plates and silverware on the table to take it to the kitchen sink.

Somewhere in the city, some other woman with a lot more money than her would be enjoying her boyfriend instead of her. Whoever she was, she would have him all to herself for the night and get to take advantage of all of his skills. She'd get to taste his lips and have him cater to her every wish, his mouth and fingers probably pleasuring her before he gave her what she really wanted and pushed inside of her -

Accidentally dropping a plate into the sink so harshly that it broke, Summer jumped a little and then sighed before backing away, leaving the dishes for later. She quietly put the leftovers away and covered the cake, glancing at Bucky's now empty chair and then glaring at it for a moment before trudging off to bed alone.

She told herself to get over it and stop sulking, since this was, after all, what she had signed up for when she persuaded Bucky to give them a chance at a real relationship. She crawled in bed and pushed the unpleasant feelings away, telling herself that it was all fine and that she wasn't really upset when in reality, she wanted to hunt down whatever lady had taken Bucky for the night and stab her eyes out with a fork.

But this was her life now, and she told herself that it was only temporary. All Bucky had to do was get a job, and everything would be better. She wouldn't have to feel like this anymore, and he wouldn't have to deal with the guilt and shame of leaving her during a romantic night she had planned for _him_ to go and have sex with somebody else for cash _._

She could hold on until then. He was worth it, she knew that. She just hoped it happened soon, before she lost it and actually turned a fork into a murder weapon.

* * *

"You are... entirely too good to me, Loki," Aemilia sighed with a content, happy smile, reclining on the comfy little blanket that Loki had laid out on top of the beautifully green grass beneath them.

It was Friday afternoon, mere hours before Aemilia's mother Ayre's plane was scheduled to touch down at JFK, and Loki had decided to distract Aemilia from her growing anxiety by treating her to a surprise picnic in the park. It was one of the very last things that Aemilia had expected, and it was also utterly perfect. It was a gorgeous day, and the fresh air along with Loki's company - and the delicious bottle of white wine that had been among the treats he'd brought - was working wonders to calm her frayed nerves.

Loki simply scoffed and topped off the nearly empty glass in her hand. "As if any man could treat a creature as stunning as yourself too well."

She raised an eyebrow but smiled at the remark anyway. "Laying it on a bit thick, are we?"

"Merely stating the truth," he smirked back.

"Well... I suppose I'll take your word for it," she said, reaching between them and grabbing a perfectly ripe strawberry from a stray they had both been grazing off of for awhile now.

"Please do. It's a very good habit to get into," he replied, and Aemilia rolled her eyes before he leaned forward and stole a small but sweet kiss from her lips. She giggled softly, and he drew away with a slight frown as he pulled his phone from his pocket. Then he eyed the number from which the new text had been sent from, and he rolled his eyes and shoved the phone back into his pocket.

"Who is it?" Aemilia asked curiously.

"My client from last night," he replied. "He's rather needy, and not in the enjoyable way."

"Oh, it's a _he_?" Aemilia chuckled.

"Yes, and apparently I caused - in his own words - his 'gay awakening'," Loki groaned. "Don't get me wrong, I am more than happy to help others come to terms with who they are, but this is the tenth message he's sent me since this morning."

"What is he saying?" Aemilia asked, more amused than anything.

"Well, let's see," Loki said, fishing his phone back out and scrolling up to the very first text. _"I can't stop thinking about last night. You changed my life_." He scrolled to the next one. " _I want you inside me again_." He scrolled more. " _And again. I want you to fuck me hard until I scream and_ -"

"Okay," Aemilia suddenly interrupted, giggling quietly. "There are children not especially far away. I think I understand now."

Loki chuckled and put his phone away. "You asked, darling."

"That I did. Is it strange that I asked?" Aemilia wondered aloud. "I feel as if I should be more put off by what you just told me, but I sort of... find it funny."

She chuckled then and Loki laughed with her, and it was almost bizarre how very easy and comfortable their relationship truly was. They didn't often discuss the details of his encounters with clients, but when they did, it was clear to Aemilia how detached Loki was from his work. He considered it an art form and took care of his ladies - and men - with the utmost respect and care, but it was truly only a job. He maintained carefully constructed walls between his work life and his personal life, and when she saw those walls first hand, Aemilia had to wonder why _she_ of all of those clients had been the one to scale them and become something more to him.

"Does that happen often?" she asked. "A client becomes too clingy or overly attached?"

"It _is_ fairly common," Loki admitted. "And see, men always like to pretend that women are the most emotional of the two genders, but in my experience, it's the men who try to cling."

"Really?" Aemilia grinned faintly.

"Oh yes. The worst was this one fellow I took on in college, my first year of doing this," Loki recalled. "He was in his upper twenties, and he was engaged to a beautiful woman. But before he resigned himself to monogamy for the rest of his life, he wanted to... indulge a few fantasies, I suppose. So he hired me, and the first night was mostly me sitting there listening to him panic over hiring me in the first place. Horridly boring, but the easiest cash I've ever made in my life."

Aemilia snickered and shook her head. "You are terrible."

"I know," he winked. "But when we _finally_ got down to business, he of course had an _awakening_ of his own and nearly became catatonic as a result. But he hired me again, and eventually he became my regular Tuesday appointment."

"Did he marry the girl?" Aemilia asked, feeling sorry for the poor fiancée, whoever she was.

"Yes, but not before confessing his undying love to me and begging me to run away with him," Loki rolled his eyes. "I of course ended our arrangement immediately. He married his fiancée the next week."

"... Well, that's a doomed marriage if I've ever heard of one," Aemilia remarked. "What a sad situation all around."

"You see a lot of those in this line of work," Loki shrugged. "James, one time he was hired by this incredibly wealthy woman who insisted on calling him Jackson when he came to her. He said she always acted strangely and would cry each time he had to leave, and eventually he discovered that she had become a widow the year before and that her husband's name had been Jackson and that he bore an uncanny resemblance to the man."

Aemilia's expression became one of quiet horror. "Oh _dear God_. That is... incredibly unhealthy and strange."

"Yes, he very gently spoke to her after he found out and actually helped get her into therapy," Loki said. "He didn't hear from her again after that, but hopefully she is well."

"Honestly," Aemilia shook her head, smiling a little, "you two are incredibly brave, in my opinion. I think there's something admirable in what you do for people, in an unconventional way."

Loki arched an eyebrow in reply. "Really?"

She nodded, sipping her wine. "You maintain reasonable boundaries and aim to give clients healthy and pleasurable experiences. It's certainly not the seedy underworld of filth that television likes to portray."

"You're right," Loki nodded. "That seedy underworld certainly does exist, but it's never been my world. I'm not selling myself - I'm selling a service and an experience."

And that, Aemilia thought, was precisely why Loki was so easy to be in a relationship with despite his profession. It was a facet of him, but it didn't define him. He was the most complex man she'd ever known, and to think that some people - maybe even most - would consider him nothing more than a common whore was an absolute disgrace.

"You know," she smiled, "you have done an _amazing_ job of distracting me from everything today."

"Clearly not well enough," he grinned back, "because you just thought about it again."

"I can't help it," she sighed, eyeing her nearly empty wine glass forlornly. "I just... I know how tonight is going to go, and I'm already exhausted just thinking about it."

"I understand," he said gently, scooting a bit closer to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She nestled against him and he kissed the top of her hair. "But look on the bright side. Once it's over, it's over."

"Unless she decides to stay in town for awhile," Aemilia muttered. "She still hasn't told me the real reason why she's making the trip. I know it's not _only_ to see me."

"Perhaps her flying monkeys ventured off course and she must come here to collect them?"

Aemilia started laughing, and the sound was contagious. "Yes, I think you're right. Maybe she'll leave as soon as she rounds them up?"

"For your sake, I hope so," Loki chuckled.

She sighed and laid her head more closely on his shoulder, breathing him in and trying to calm her nerves before they acted up again. "I wish you didn't have an appointment tonight."

"Me too," he replied softly. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she shrugged lightly. "I understand. I'm glad you're here now."

"So am I," he smiled, kissing her forehead affectionately. "And I will be there with you through the whole dinner. I won't leave until she does."

Aemilia nodded, leaning up and smiling gently as he pressed a kiss to her lips. While she was incredibly stressed and on edge thanks to her mother's visit, she was incredibly happy to have Loki and his support through the entire ordeal. She could think of a million different ways that the night could end, each as unlikely and horrific as the next, but knowing that Loki would be by her side no matter what provided a balm that she couldn't take for granted.

She just had to soldier through the night ahead and come out on the other side in one piece. For those who didn't know her mother as well as she did, such a thing was far more difficult than it sounded on paper.

"Distract me some more," she asked as she continued to snuggle to him. "Tell me another story."

"Another story?" Loki repeated with a small smirk. "All right. What sort of story?"

"I don't know... something that will capture my attention," she giggled, glancing up at him. "Tell me about..." she drifted through her thoughts, trying to think of something that would hold her attention and keep her anxiety at bay a bit longer. Then her eyes lit up and she grinned. "Tell me about the first time you and Bucky ever... became acquainted."

Loki chuckled. "Considering I've already told you how we met, I can only assume that by acquainted you mean... _acquainted_."

"Yes," she giggled again. "That kind of acquainted."

"Very well," he grinned, and began the story.

* * *

 _Freshly showered and standing in front of the sole bathroom of the apartment he shared with Loki, Bucky finished buttoning the dark blue shirt he'd thrown on and then turned a critical eye on the reflection of his hair in the mirror above the sink. This was always the longest part of getting ready, and some days he wondered if he wouldn't be better off with a buzzcut._

Yeah right, _he rolled his eyes before grabbing Loki's hair dryer and switching it on. His hair might be a royal pain, especially these days now that he had grown it a little longer in the front than he normally cared to, but its benefits outweighed the negatives. Or at least it seemed that way every time a pretty girl pulled it as she rocked her hips on his lap, and that was good enough for him._

 _No less than twenty five minutes later, Bucky had finally put the finishing touches on his hair when he heard a knock at the door. "I'm almost done," he called, grabbing his toothbrush and flipping on the sink._

 _"Good, then you won't mind if I come in," Loki replied, opening the unlocked door and casually slipping inside. He instantly noticed Bucky's nicer-than-usual clothes and asked, "Date tonight?"_

 _Bucky shook his head, muttering around the toothbrush in his mouth, "Job."_

 _"Ah," Loki grinned. "Look at you, so in demand. I knew you would be."_

 _Bucky rolled his eyes and spat into the sink, rinsing off the toothbrush and replying, "Well, like you said, it definitely pays the bills."_

 _Loki crossed his arms and leaned against the bathroom wall as he grinned, "Oh please. You love having women pay ridiculous sums for just a night with you. Don't pretend otherwise."_

 _Bucky grinned at Loki through the mirror and shrugged. "Well, it's definitely not a bad thing. By the way, why are you in here?"_

 _"A client," Loki grinned. "A rather important one, actually. I just spoke to our employer, and an acquaintance of hers is celebrating a new promotion in a few days, and she would like both of us to entertain her."_

 _The previously jovial, carefree expression on Bucky's face faded into confusion as he turned around to look directly at Loki rather than through the mirror. "Both of us?"_

 _"Yes, both of us," Loki replied. He then deadpanned, "It's what some commonly refer to as a threesome, where_ three _people instead of_ two _engage in -"_

 _"Fuck you," Bucky groaned, rolling his eyes as Loki chuckled. "Why does she want us?"_

 _"Well, we have some of the best reviews of any of her men," Loki replied. "And for as new as you are, that's rather impressive. Plus we're rather good friends and we know each other quite well, and that makes more a more comfortable experience all around."_

 _Bucky paused before asking, "I'm not really getting a choice here, am I?"_

 _"Of course you are," Loki assured him. "She's not ordering you to do it. She's asking nicely. And so am I."_

 _Bucky eyed him skeptically. "Why?"_

 _Now it was Loki's turn to roll his eyes. "If you're going to incessantly ask all of these inane questions, I'll just ask Clint instead. He requires far less convincing."_

 _"Hey, I didn't say that," Bucky protested, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm not opposed to it, I just... I don't know. I want some details."_

 _"What sort of details?"_

 _Bucky hesitated. "Well... just... what exactly's gonna be expected of me. I've never had a threesome before, so..."_

 _Loki met Bucky's slightly unsure eyes and then cocked his head curiously. "And?"_

 _Bucky clenched his jaw and decided to just blurt it out. "I'm gonna have to touch your dick, ain't I?"_

 _Loki's face immediately lit up with amusement and he grinned as he replied, "Well, only if you want to, darling."_

 _Bucky let out a pained groan and moved to walk past Loki out of the bathroom as he muttered, "Fuck me."_

 _"If you really want me to," Loki replied a bit devilishly, following Bucky out of the bathroom into the living room. "But generally the client prefers most of the attention on themselves, which makes what you just requested nearly impossible."_

 _"Fuck off, would you?" Bucky replied over his shoulder, grabbing his cell phone out of his pocket and checking the time before sinking down on the well-worn couch that took up most of the living room._

 _"Such a filthy mouth today," Loki noted, taking the other side of the couch. "I suppose I'll just give Clint a call, since you don't seem to be interested..."_

 _"I didn't say that," Bucky replied, dropping his phone down to his leg as he sighed. "I'll do it. It's just... it's gonna be weird."_

 _"Why?" Loki asked, genuinely concerned and willing to help in any way that he could._

 _"Because... with everything I've done so far," Bucky explained, "it hasn't been anything new. I've done it all before. So this would just be different. I don't know."_

 _Loki nodded. "Well, I can tell you that in my experience, these things go one of two ways. Either the client wants all of the attention on them and then alone, or they want to watch for a bit and play, and_ then _they want all the attention on themselves."_

 _Bucky nodded, brows furrowed and trying to decipher what that meant. "So..."_

 _"More often than not its the latter option," Loki continued. "So yes, if you decide to do it, we will likely kiss and touch each other for a fairly significant portion of the night."_

 _Bucky responded by inhaling deeply and widening his eyes a bit, nodding. "... All right."_

 _Loki paused. "All right?"_

 _Bucky glanced at him and shrugged. "It's gonna be weird as hell, but... it's the job, right?"_

 _"... Yes, but Bucky," Loki said gently, "if you don't want to do it, the client will be able to see that, and that won't be good for any of us." When Bucky had no answer for that, Loki asked, "Have you ever kissed a man before?"_

 _"No," Bucky immediately replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world._

 _Loki eyed him skeptically. "Not even that friend of yours? The uptight one?"_

 _Bucky blinked. "Steve?"_

 _"Yes," Loki nodded, "him."_

 _"No!" Bucky all but sputtered, eyes squinting in confusion. "Why does everyone always think that we - no, dammit."_

 _"Fine," Loki said, his hands going up in mock surrender. "No need to be so touchy."_

 _"It's just - never mind," Bucky muttered. "No, I've never kissed a guy. Big surprise."_

 _"It's not surprising at all," Loki replied. "But let me ask you this - does the thought of it disgust you?"_

 _Bucky thought for a moment before shaking his head and replying honestly, "No."_

 _"So when I was dating Thomas and you heard us right next to your room in the throes of passion all those nights, you never felt repulsed or put off by it?"_

 _"Well, I wished you guys would shut the hell up so I could get some sleep," Bucky replied, "and I wondered how he always managed to walk out the door the next day considering how the bed was always smacking into the wall, but no."_

 _Loki chuckled and then mused, "Good."_

 _Bucky's confusion returned. "Good?"_

 _"Yes, good," Loki replied. "Maybe you can pull this off after all."_

 _"Well, guess we'll find out in a few days," Bucky shrugged._

 _Loki maintained eye contact and paused. "Or we can find out now."_

 _Bucky's eyes widened just enough to be absolutely adorable. "... Huh?"_

 _"Well, you study for an exam before just diving into it, yes?" Loki pointed out. "It's called practice."_

 _"Practice," Bucky repeated. "With you?"_

 _"Well, yes. Unless you'd rather we called Steve so you could practice with him."_

 _That pulled a face from Bucky. "Fuck, man, no. Jesus."_

 _Loki chuckled and leaned his head on his hand. "Well, all right then. How long do you have before you meet your client?"_

 _Bucky glanced at his phone. "An hour."_

 _"Ah, plenty of time," Loki said, shifting on the couch and gracefully moving closer to the end that Bucky occupied._

 _Bucky immediately tensed up and all but plastered himself to the arm of the couch, putting more distance between them as he laughed nervously, "Whoa, whoa, right now?"_

 _"When would you prefer?" Loki asked, confused. "The sooner we do this the better, because if you hate it, then I make the arrangements and get Clint to take your place."_

 _Bucky reluctantly relaxed a bit, though he made another face before repeating, "Clint?"_

 _"What's wrong with Clint?" Loki asked, looking equally confused._

 _"Nothing, you just... make an odd couple. I don't know," Bucky shrugged, eyeing Loki a bit uneasily. He was still rather close, and Bucky's nerves were more frazzled by his proximity than he cared to admit._

 _"Well, he's good with his hands," Loki shrugged. "But I would prefer your company over his."_

 _Bucky's jaw dropped a bit, to his own dismay and Loki's endless amusement. "... Why?"_

 _"For one, I can make you blush rather easily," Loki replied, his words instantly proving true when a light flush appeared on Bucky's defined cheekbones. Then he let his eyes trip over Bucky's still-parted lips as he said, "And I've wondered since the day I met you what your lips would feel like."_

 _Bucky furrowed his brows, all of this nothing short of breaking news to him. "You_ have _?"_

 _"Yes, and if I'd ever picked up the slightest clue that you weren't anything but hopelessly straight, I would have satisfied my curiosity a long time ago," Loki replied._

 _"... I'm pretty straight," Bucky agreed, though he still felt an odd thrill of excitement that seemed to grow stronger the more they spoke._

 _"That's what Thomas used to think too," Loki noted. "I have a habit of... broadening horizons."_

 _Bucky almost burst out laughing, but he controlled himself. "... Is that a euphemism?"_

 _Loki narrowed his eyes. "Are you 12?"_

 _"Are you gonna kiss me any time soon or am I gonna be late to meet my client?" Bucky shot back, surprising himself as much as Loki with those words. He blinked as soon as he fell silent, and Loki's gaze went from mildly annoyed to surprised to intrigued in what felt like less than a second._

 _"... Eager," Loki noted with slight glee, a grin spreading across his face. "All you had to do was say so, darling."_

 _Flustered now and blushing a handsome shade of pink, Bucky half-stuttered, "I didn't mean... I just meant that I'm gonna be late if you don't -"_

 _"You are not going to be late," Loki assured him, leaning a bit closer across the small space between them. "Last chance to change your mind."_

 _Bucky thought about it for a minute. What the hell was he doing? He had a blossoming new illegal career as a very high class escort and now he was about to kiss his male roommate as practice for a threesome they were going to get paid for in a few days, and this was apparently normal now. He didn't know what to think or what to do or why he he was going along with this, because he'd never even considered doing anything like this before, but that seemed to go for a lot of what he was doing these days._

 _Loki's voice roused him from his thoughts. "Well?"_

 _Bucky shook his head, making his decision because, well... why the hell not? "Practice, right?"_

 _Loki grinned. "Practice is always a wise decision."_

 _Bucky shook his head again. "You're such an ass."_

 _"You love me," Loki replied teasingly before leaning in and, swiftly enough that Bucky didn't have a chance to breathe or chicken out, kissing the other man silent. Bucky hadn't expected that, and Loki could tell by the way that he froze for a moment and seemed to stop breathing. He didn't resist, however, and his lips were soft and still against Loki's through that short little experimental first kiss._

 _Loki pulled away chuckling quietly low in his throat, and Bucky opened his eyes to half-heartedly glare at him and mutter, "Fuck you."_

 _"If you really want to," Loki teased him before leaning back in, and this time Bucky met him halfway and pulled Loki in the rest of the way with a warm and impatient hand on the back of his neck. Loki was all too happy to comply, kissing his friend once more and finally feeling those lips of his moving against his own._

 _Bucky, meanwhile, hadn't known what he was expecting, but whatever it was, the reality of kissing a man - more specifically, Loki - took him by surprise. It felt different than any kiss he'd ever had before, and he was suddenly hyperaware of everything - Loki's lips pressed firmly to his, his subtle but distinctly masculine scent surrounding him, the way that Loki's hand slowly rose to rest against the side of his jaw as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss._

 _Then Bucky felt the gentle brush of a tongue along his lower lip, and he instinctively parted his lips to welcome the other man's tongue into his mouth. Loki took the invitation for what it was and took advantage, skillfully moving his tongue against Bucky's and holding back a groan at the taste of him._

 _... Bucky mentally decided somewhere in that moment that he didn't hate it. He_ definitely _didn't hate it._

 _Loki slid his fingers into Bucky's short dark hair and Bucky took a handful of Loki's longer, slightly tousled black hair and made a fist around it, kissing Loki back and feeling his unease melt away the more that he experienced Loki's skill firsthand. He had watched Loki work his magic on so many others in the past and now he understood why men and women alike seemed to fall at his feet so easily._

 _He might have been an obnoxious bastard, but damn did he know what he was doing._

 _The first time they broke for air, they both pulled away panting and flushed, hands still in each other's hair as they looked at one another. Loki grinned and, flickering his eyes over Bucky's flushed features, he murmured, "Enjoying yourself, darling?"_

 _"Do you ever shut up?" Bucky groaned._

 _"Only when my mouth is otherwise occupied," Loki murmured back rather suggestively before capturing Bucky's lips again, this time with full confidence that they were both on the same page and that Bucky was truly enjoying himself._

 _Of course, they could have stopped there and been reasonably confident that their upcoming job together would go quite well. But there wouldn't have been as much fun in that, and Loki wanted to see just how worked up he could get the other man._

 _Purely for research, of course._

 _The moments dragged on, and Bucky grew more bold in both his movements and his kisses. He kissed Loki more aggressively, more deeply, and he felt an undeniable spark of desire within when Loki groaned lowly in response. He didn't stop, letting the noise spur him on and getting caught up the moment, strange and unexpected as it was._

 _Loki truthfully hadn't ever thought that this would happen between them, and now that it was, he wanted to take full advantage of it. Sure, he'd get more of this in a few days, but he was never one to waste a perfectly good opportunity while he had it._

 _Once he'd kissed Bucky breathless, he broke away from his mouth and trailed kisses down Bucky's jaw and the side of his neck, the kisses growing more hot and open-mouthed with each new inch of skin he touched. Bucky closed his eyes and sunk deeper into the couch, turning his head to accommodate the other man and feeling that spark of desire become more of a pulsing need once Loki found a spot to nip and gently suckle on that made Bucky's entire body jerk. Loki then teased that spot mercilessly, his lips curling up into a satisfied grin when Bucky cursed and gave Loki's hair a tug._

 _Once Loki brought his lips back up and kissed Bucky again, he decided to let his hands grow a bit more exploratory. He could tell what his actions were doing to Bucky, and if he was being honest, he was more than a little surprised by just how much Bucky was enjoying himself. He was kissing back with an almost sloppy fury and leaning into Loki's every touch, whether it was in his hair or on his chest or on his stomach just underneath his shirt._

 _Loki honestly hadn't intended for things to go this far, but... well, he might as well be thorough in his "research"._

 _Bucky shuddered and broke their loss at the first brush of Loki's hands between his legs. Loki groaned at the feel of him hard and wanting through his jeans, and he opened his eyes to find Bucky's closed and his cheeks blushing as prettily as any lady's would. Loki teased him a few more times, watching his breath come faster and relishing in his need until he inched his hand up and unfastened the button of Bucky's pants._

 _That made Bucky open his now-very dilated eyes, staring at Loki with both desire and slight hesitation as Loki pulled his zipper down. Loki could see Bucky starting to perhaps panic slightly, but Loki put him at ease by reminding him, "Practice."_

 _It was just ridiculous enough to make Bucky smile and chuckle darkly under his breath. "You're such a fucking..." Loki grasped him then and Bucky's words died in his throat, the first stroke rendering him breathless and useless as he then eloquently groaned, "Fucking... ah, fuck."_

 _Loki grinned before kissing him again, hand finding a slow and steady rhythm as their lips moved against each other and Bucky lost the ability to care act like he wasn't as needy as he was. Between Loki's touch and his kiss and the mind-numbing skill of both, he simply never had a chance._

 _Following Bucky's cues and working him gradually faster, Loki utterly reveled in having the other man at his mercy like this. Bucky was clutching at him, kissing him desperately and thrusting into his hand, and to think that fifteen minutes ago Loki doubted that Bucky could genuinely enjoy his touch. He had never in his life been more pleased to be wrong._

 _Once Loki knew he was close, he broke their kiss and watched Bucky with darkened green eyes as he panted and writhed under Loki's touch. Bucky had an iron-like grip on Loki's hair, nearly painful in its fury, and Loki dropped his mouth to Bucky's ear as all the sensations began to converge and make every nerve in his body sing with anticipation._

 _Hot breath washing over Bucky's ear and teeth nipping just hard enough to make him shiver, Loki murmured, "Come for me, Bucky." Bucky moaned roughly in response, and Loki kissed him hard one more time before repeating the command, and then Bucky was lost and letting out a long and helpless moan that was sweeter than music to Loki's ears._

 _Loki leaned his forehead against Bucky's as he came down, stroking him through his end and letting go only when he knew that utterly spent. Bucky was breathing hard, eyes closed and body sunk limp against the couch, his state of bliss entirely thanks to the man sitting at his side and watching with immense satisfaction._

 _After a few quiet moments spent catching his breath, Bucky opened his eyes and looked at Loki in a slight daze. Loki grinned at him and found the moment of dumbfounded silence beyond amusing, but eventually he did Bucky a favor and broke the ice. "Well, I'd say that counts as a success, wouldn't you?"_

 _Bucky swallowed dryly, blinking and realizing what had just happened and how much he liked it. He suddenly felt about a hundred times more awkward than he had a few moments ago, but he still managed to nod, "Yeah... yeah, that... worked."_

 _Loki chuckled. "Worked rather well. Far better than I expected."_

 _Bucky nodded, blushing in faint embarrassment when he glanced down at his lap. "Yeah, so I'll, uh... I'll be there. For the thing. Whenever it is."_

 _Loki nodded. "Good."_

 _Bucky nodded back. "I'll just... uh..." He scrambled up from the couch, holding his still-undone pants up with his hands. "I'll go... change my clothes now."_

 _"Good luck with your client," Loki called as Bucky hurriedly disappeared into his room. "I hope I didn't wear you out too badly."_

 _"Fuck off," Bucky called back before slamming his door shut._

 _Loki chuckled to himself and shook his head. This was going to be entirely too much fun._

* * *

As good of a job as Loki did at distracting his lady, as the dreaded night crept closer, nothing could keep her truly calm. The hours seemed to pass by in both a flash and a lazy crawl somehow - anxiety was odd like that - and no amount of saucy stories and sweet kisses could allow Aemilia to escape her fate.

Eventually, 8 o'clock came. Aemilia and Loki were already seated in the restaurant that her mother would be meeting them in momentarily. Aemilia had changed into one of her nicest dresses and had spent an ungodly amount of time on her hair and makeup, mostly to reduce the chances of Ayre nitpicking her appearance even though she knew it would happen anyway regardless. But it helped her feel a tiny bit more prepared, and that was the most important thing.

Loki, God bless him, had been the picture of patience and understanding all day, and the situation would have been unbelievably more stressful without him. As they waited quietly at their table, he held her hand and did what he could to soothe her nerves. His voice and his gentle touch were the only comforting things in her world in those moments, and she couldn't have been more grateful that he had happily agreed to come and be by her side that night.

Then, spotting movement near the front of the dining room in her peripheral vision, all of that tentative comfort flew out the window. In walked Ayre, escorted by the host and wearing a face full of makeup and designer clothes and dripping in jewelry, quickly spotting her daughter's auburn head of hair and breaking out into an enormous smile.

Aemilia smiled back and stood up, praying to God that this night wouldn't be nearly as horrific as she thought it would be.

"Oh, darling, there you are!" Ayre gushed, paying no mind to the attention she was garnering as she threw her arms around Aemilia and nearly squeezed the life out of her. "It's been so long!"

 _Not long enough_. "I know," Aemilia smiled, pulling back and putting on a brave face as Ayre looked her over.

"Oh, look at you! Pictures just don't do you justice," Ayre sighed, briefly cupping her face. "You look more and more like me every year." She then plucked a single curl and added, "Well, except for this mane of yours."

Ayre then laughed, and Aemilia forced a laugh of her own. "Well, you know me. I'm quite proud of my mane."

Ayre then suddenly noticed the man who had been standing next to her daughter the whole time, and she gave a little gasp and broke into a big smile. "Oh, and you must be the the new man she's so tight lipped about."

Loki gave a tiny, humble bow and held out his hand to shake hers. "I am Loki. It is a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

"Oh, dear God, just call me Ayre," she laughed frivolously. "Ma'am sounds so _old_."

"My apologies, Ayre," Loki smiled politely, briefly glancing at Aemilia and sharing the quickest of wordless communication with her. Aemilia fought hard to keep her resulting smile under wraps.

"Good heavens, Aemilia, just how did you find such a proper Englishman here in this city?" Ayre asked, already impressed.

"Oh," Aemilia laughed softly, "that's a rather long story. Here, let's sit down before we make a scene."

Ayre suddenly hurried to do so, as if she'd only just realized they were in the middle of a busy restaurant. The three of them took their seats and their server came by nearly that very minute, taking their drink orders and then leaving them as Ayre took a deep breath and smiled at her daughter and her new companion.

"So, how was the flight?" Aemilia asked, hoping the wine they ordered came quickly.

"Oh, an utter nightmare, as one would expect," she laughed lightly. "One would think that paying double rates for first class would mean no crying babies or mothers exposing themselves as they feed them, and yet the ghastly sight of this random woman's nipple is forever seared into my memory."

... Yep, that was her mother alright. Aemilia shrugged and replied, "Well, a mother has to feed her child. You can hardly fault the woman for that."

"Yes, but cover up!" Ayre said, looking at Loki as if expecting him to agree with her. "It's indecent! Honestly, I don't see how it's even legal. Wouldn't you agree?"

Loki paused at the unexpected question, glancing at Aemilia and then replying smoothly, "I can't say that I do, quite honestly. Feeding a baby is hardly an indecent act."

Ayre then sighed and laughed, gesturing to Loki and saying, "Yes, well, I'm sure no man in his right mind would oppose getting to see a woman's breasts in public, so perhaps I asked the wrong person."

And _this_ was how Ayre made small talk with her daughter and the boyfriend she'd just met. Aemilia fought the urge to smack her palm against her face and just ask for the check already.

"Well, if you're implying that I would get some kind of thrill out of watching a woman breastfeed simply because I'm a man, you are very mistaken," Loki replied. "Society attempts to sexualize everything it possibly can in this day and age, and _that_ is where the true indecency lies."

Ayre's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, Aemilia," she grinned, "you didn't tell me how eloquent and _smart_ he is."

Aemilia smiled at Loki and replied, "Well, I didn't need to. His intelligence speaks for itself."

She and Loki shared a small smile over that, and then Ayre couldn't help but ask, "How _did_ you two meet? I don't think you ever told me, dear."

And this was where Aemilia nearly gave away just how nervous and uneasy she truly was. She had no intention of telling Ayre the full truth, but she had never been particularly good at lying to her. Other people she could get away with deceiving every so often if she absolutely had to, but Ayre always somehow knew when she was lying, as if she could actually sniff the deceit on her words.

But before she could spin a tale and hope for the best, Loki stepped in and saved her the trouble.

"Well, you see, two of our very close friends happen to be dating each other," he began. "They had an extra ticket to the opening night of her opera, so they invited me along. I was lucky enough to not only enjoy her absolutely beautiful performance, but I also got to meet her afterwards. We hit it off and... well, as you can see, we've grown quite smitten with each other."

Aemilia smiled and blushed a little, Loki's eyes meeting hers and his own genuine smile making her feel quite warm inside. Of course, his tale was a half-truth at best, but it was convincing and he told it like it was nothing short of fact.

"Oh, that is lovely," Ayre smiled. "Truly. I'm glad to see my baby happy. I kept telling her she'd been alone too long and needed to put herself out there, but she never would listen." Before Aemilia could object to that particular statement, Ayre turned her glittering eyes back on Loki and asked, "What do you do for a living?"

Aemilia's eyes darted to Loki. They hadn't discussed how they would answer that particular question, but as with everything else, Loki answered smoothly and without hesitation.

"I'm something of an entrepreneur," he grinned. "I believe in investing in people and building lasting, mutually beneficial relationships."

Aemilia bit her lip to keep from grinning.

"Oh! So are you in business?" Ayre asked.

"Customer service," he replied. "Making people happy is my passion."

Aemilia started to giggle and covered it up with a cough. Ayre patted her back before Aemilia waved her off, glancing at Loki and blushing at the wink he sent her. _If Ayre only knew_.

From there, the trio had a relatively pleasant dinner. Once the wine started flowing and Ayre got to talking about her own life and what she had going on, it was mostly a matter of just listening to her and laughing a the appropriate times. Aemilia could handle that, and by the time they'd emptied their plates, she was starting to think that she just might make it out of the dinner unscathed.

But, naturally, fate had other things in store.

Ayre had just polished off her third glass of wine and had regaled them with tales of the last man she had dated when she glanced over at Aemilia and gave her a tight smile, reaching out and plucking at one of her curls again. "You and these curls. Just like your father."

Aemilia smiled and gave a small shrug. "They suit me."

Ayre seemed to just narrowly avoid frowning at that, though she covered it up by taking a deep breath and flashing another smile. "So! How serious _are_ you two?"

The question took both Loki and Aemilia slightly aback. Aemilia blinked, "I... do you mean if we're -"

"Oh, _you know_ what I mean," Ayre exhaled. "And look, I know I shouldn't ask, but... I just can't help it. You're not getting any younger, dear, and -"

Aemilia turned away from her. "Mother, please. Now is not the time."

Ayre continued on as if she hadn't said a word. "You need to think about your future. Both of you, but especially you, Aemilia. You need security! You need -"

"I _have_ security," Aemilia snapped back, turning now-angered eyes back to her mother. "I'm doing quite well for myself, and you would know that if you bothered to pay attention."

"I know you're doing well _now_ , honey, but what about in ten years? Maybe even five? Your career won't hold up when there's younger and prettier girls auditioning for the same roles. That's why you need security. That's why -"

"Perhaps," Loki interjected, making Ayre's eyes fly to him in surprise, "you would have a bit more faith in your daughter's talent if you had witnessed it firsthand as I have. She is a force to be reckoned with, and hardly a mere pretty face."

"I don't doubt that," Ayre replied. "I _know_ how talented she is. She grew up singing for me and her father. She'd put on little shows when she was five years old, singing into a toy microphone and standing on a coffee table she pretended was a stage. And I know how passionate she is, but the world is such a harsh place, especially for women. She can't make it on her own forever, not with the career that she's chosen. I've always told her -"

"He doesn't need to know what you've always told me, Mother," Aemilia interrupted. "And this is not the time nor the place for this conversation."

"I know but Aemilia, I worry about you _so much_ , and -"

"That's enough," Loki suddenly said, his voice taking on an authoritative tone that made both Ayre and Aemilia freeze where they sat. Aemilia had never quite heard him speak like that before, and the look in his eye was just as sharp. "Aemilia is right. This isn't the time or the place, and to be frank, I don't believe there is _ever_ a time or a place to speak to her as you have been since you walked into this restaurant. You've not seen her in years - certainly you could keep your thoughts to yourself for one night. Or do her feelings and well-being mean that little to you?"

Aemilia was in shock. Ayre looked offended, slightly terrified, and absolutely flabbergasted. Nobody had ever spoken to her like that on Aemilia's behalf, certainly none of her previous boyfriends, and if Aemilia hadn't been head over heels in love with Loki already... she _definitely_ was now.

"I... I only meant to say..." Ayre struggled with her words, face red with embarrassment, before she pursed her lips and appeared to give up. She cleared her throat, grabbed her purse and then sat up a little straighter in an attempt to regroup. "I actually... have a friend that I'm meeting very soon - I'm a bit late, actually - so I need to get back to my hotel."

Aemilia nodded, still hardly able to believe what had just happened herself. Ayre quickly pulled herself together, stood up and gave Loki a polite goodbye without looking him in the eye, then gave Aemilia a very brief hug before all but sprinting out of the restaurant as quickly as she could.

Aemilia sank back down into her chair and looked at Loki in disbelief. "I can't believe you said that."

"... That woman is horrid," Loki opined, features scrunching up to show his distaste. "How could a creature as exquisite as you possibly come from... _her_?"

"... It's a mystery," Aemilia grinned, feeling an enormous weight drop from her shoulders. Ayre would be in town for awhile longer yet, but the first dinner was out of the way and it had gone _incredibly_ differently from how she had imagined it in her mind. And she still could hardly believed how quickly and effortlessly Loki's words had cut through Ayre, as if he had been rehearsing it all along.

"Thank you," Aemilia said softly, taking Loki's hand under the table. "Truly, I... I don't know what to say."

"You're welcome," Loki replied, his small smile full of affection. "And you shouldn't allow anyone to talk to you like that. Not even your mother. And trust me, I know exactly what it's like to have a parent constantly belittle you and treat you like you're nothing more than a foolish child. You deserve much, _much_ better than that, Aemilia."

"I know," Aemilia said quietly, looking down at their hands. "But it's how she's always been. And that's not the worst of it, either. She used to tell me I'd never make it here in New York and that I'd be back in London with her once I realized that I'd only land roles if I slept with the producers."

"She is a fool," Loki told her. "And you've proven her _spectacularly_ wrong. Don't spend a single moment paying her ridiculous ramblings any mind."

Aemilia nodded, giving him a weak smile. "I'll try. But it's hard."

"I know," Loki replied, eyes sympathetic and understanding. He had been there before himself - _oh, had he been there before_ \- but those days were over now. He was confident that with time, the same would be true for Aemilia.

After a few more moments spent together, Loki paid the bill for their meal and realized that he was nearly late for that night's appointment. With a regretful sigh, he got them up and out of the restaurant, stepping out into the cool night air and hailing Aemilia a cab. Once he flagged one down, he turned to her and pulled her into a sweet embrace, telling her, "I wish I didn't have to go."

"Me too," she pouted, arms wrapped around his neck. "But it's all right. I understand. Thank you for being wonderful tonight, and today too. I can't possibly thank you enough for everything you've done for me today. You're amazing."

"I truly am, aren't I?" he grinned before leaning down and giving her a sweet kiss on the lips. The taxi driver honked at them impatiently, but that only made them both chuckle and kiss a little longer before breaking apart.

He opened her door for her and said, "Go home and try to get some sleep. You've had a long day."

"Yes I have," she sighed, sliding into the car. "Be careful. And have fun."

"I'll be thinking of you," he winked, sharing one more little smile with her before closing her door and watching the car speed off down the road. He sighed and put his hands in his pockets, checking the time again before hailing his own cab and climbing in, giving the cabbie an address that he read off of a text message from that night's client. He really wasn't in the mood for it that particular night, but he had never - _ever_ \- cancelled on a client before. It was his personal policy, and he wasn't about to change it now.

He answered a few text messages on his way, including one from Bucky asking how the dinner had gone. He sent back one word in reply - _ghastly_ \- and asked what he was up to that particular night. Unsurprisingly, Bucky answered that he was on his way to a client as well. He'd been working like crazy as of late, trying to save as much money as he possibly could while also paying tuition and rent and all his other bills, and it wasn't easy. Loki felt his pain, and he knew he wasn't seeing much of Summer lately, either.

The life of an escort was never easy. Even Loki, who had an excellent handle on it all and a steel wall built between his personal and professional life, had his moments. This was one of them, because the only place he wanted to be that night was with Aemilia, caring for her and making sure that she was okay. Nobody, man or woman, had captured his heart so easily and quickly as she had in so very long, but he had to leave his heart behind with her and tend to business on that night. But that was just life. He would take her to breakfast in the morning and do his very best to make up for it.

Once he arrived at the correct hotel, he paid the cabbie and gave him a generous tip, leaving the cab and walking the short distance into the hotel. He already knew the room number, so he breezed inside without a word to anyone and made a beeline for the elevator.

New clients tended to take longer than regulars, since there was always a degree of fleshing out to do in order to ensure a satisfying experience, so Loki didn't have much in the way of hope that this would be a quick encounter. Not only that, but the client had paid for him for a full three hours, and typically, his customers never dared to send him away early.

Once the elevator stopped and he was on the right floor, it only took him a moment to locate the room. He approached it and ran a hand through his hair, smoothing it before knocking on the door and waiting. He took a deep breath and told himself to focus, to get his mind off of the woman he cared so deeply for, and snap back into business mode. It normally wasn't so difficult, but considering how much he was growing to _adore_ the woman... it wasn't surprising.

The door unlocked, and he shifted his attention back to the present. The knob wriggled and then the door pulled open, and he put a smile on his face to greet his new client as he opened his mouth to say hello.

But the word never quite made it out. Instead, his mouth hung open slightly and his eyes widened, and pure, unbridled horror washed over him from head to toe.

His new client was none other than Aemilia's mother herself. Ayre stood there, grinning before blinking in confusion and then gasping in horror, grabbing at the open silk robe she wore and pulling it over the fancy lingerie she'd put on to greet her escort at the door with.

... _That_ was a visual he'd never forget for the rest of his life, no matter how hard he may try.

She slapped her hand over her mouth in shock. Loki groaned and let out a long, weary breath and muttered, "Well, shit."

Not only was this without a doubt the single most awkward moment of his entire life, but now the cat was out of the bag in every sense of the term. And Aemilia's life was about to get a hell of a lot more difficult.

 _Fuck_.


End file.
